06 Sep 2006
Transcribed by Stacey Gardner
Birdham is a parish 4 miles south-west from Chichester, in the south-western division of the county, hundred Manhood, rape, petty sessional division and county court district of Chichester, union of Westhampnet, and in the rural deanery of Selsey and archdeaconry and diocese of Chichester. The Arundel and Porstmouth Canal passes through the parish and terminates at Chichester Harbour. The church (supposed to have been dedicated to St James) is an ancient edifice of stone, in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, and has a tower containing 2 bells; the church was restored in 1883 at a cost of £819, and has sittings for 250 persons. The register dates from 1538. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £279, with residence and 11 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Chichester, and held since 1915 by Rev. Charles William Hunt B.A. of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor, and the Duke of Richmond and Gordon is the principal landowner. The soil is loam subsoil, Bracklesham clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. Area 1,806 acres of land and 5 of water, 37 of tidal water and 138 of foreshore; rateable value £2,618; the population in 1911 was 391.
Parish Clerk, James Balchin
Post, M. O. & T. Office – Arthur Allman, sub-postmaster; Letters through Chichester. Letters Box, Hotel corner
Public Elementary School (mixed), built in 1817, enlarged in 1874 & an infant school built in 1885, for 220 children; Alfred John Nixon, master; Miss E. Bowman, infants mistress.
Carriers to Chichester, Henry George Grainger, mon, wed, fri & sat; Charles Petter, mon, wed, fri, & sat.
Private Residents
Dawrey Misses
Farne Walter, Court Barn House
Hunt Rev. Charles W., B.A. (rector), Rectory
Kerwood Miss
Commercial
Allman Arthur, grocer, post office
Bayley Geo. Tuer, farmer, Batchmeres
Boughton Henry, farmer
Carpenter Reuben, bricklayer
Edmonds Andrew, Bell P.H.
Farne & Sons, millers (water) & farmers
Farne William, farmer, Holt’s Farm
Green S. (Mrs), farmer
Harding Alfred, farmer
Harris William, farmer, Lippering farm
Haskins Arthur, farmer
Haskins Cornelius, wheelwright
Haskins Eli, farmer
Haskins Henry, farmer
Hobgen Arthur Percy, farmer
Kewell James, cowkeeper
Napper Gilmore, blacksmith
Scott Donald, farmer
Spiers Edward, farmer
White Mrs. The Hotel P.H.
Wilkins Harry W., farmer, Manhood End farm
06 Sep 2006 | Transcribed by Stacey Gardner |
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