Parishmouse Free Resources For Family Historians

Hanbury is a large agricultural parish, 2 miles S.E. of Stoke Works station, 5 S. of Bromsgrove, 4 E. of Droitwich, and 10 ½ N.E. of Worcester; is in the eastern division of the county and hundred of Upper Halfshire, highway district of Redditch, union, county court district, petty sessional division, and parliamentary borough of Droitwich; annual rateable value, £11,354; area of parish, 7,533 acres; population in 1861, 1,044; in 1871, 1,094, with 218 inhabited houses, and 249 families or separate occupiers. Harry Foley Vernon, Esq., D.L., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is loamy; subsoil, clay; chief crops, wheat, barley, and beans. Several Roman remains and coins have been discovered on Church hill. The Worcester and Birmingham canal, the Droitwich and Alcester road, and the Birmingham and Bristol branch of the Midland railway run through the parish. Statutes are held at the Vernon Arms Inn, on Lady-day and Michaelmas. Hanbury is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Worcester and rural deanery of Droitwich; living, a rectory, value £1,168, with handsome rectory-house, and 162 acres of glebe; patron, Harry Foley Vernon, Esq.; rector, Rev. Charles William Norman Ogilvy, M.A., Christ Church, Oxford, who was instituted in 1878. The church of St. Mary stands upon a wooded eminence, and commands a splendid view of the surrounding neighbourhood. It consists of chancel, nave, aisles, and tower, containing eight bells, and possesses Early English piers and arches, with some Decorated and Perpendicular portions. It was expensively restored in 1861, at the cost of H. F. Vernon, Esq., and the Hon. and Rev. Henry Douglas, M.A. (the former rector), when the chancel was rebuilt with the addition of north and south aisles. The south chancel aisle, called the “Vernon Chapel,” contains the monuments of the Vernon family; these are very elaborate and beautiful, including works of Chantrey and Roubiliac. The earliest register is dated 1577. At Woolmere green is a chapel-of-ease, erected in 1872, with accommodation for about 100 persons. There are two national schools; one near the parish church and the other at Broughton green; the latter was enlarged in 1872 and licensed for Divine service. A small endowment for a school now goes towards the expenses of the parochial schools. The Wesleyans and Baptists have places of worship here. A rifle corps, coal and clothing clubs, Sunday and night schools, parochial association for missions, lending library, &c., are supported in the parish, and a nursing institution for well-trained and experienced nurses has been established by Lady Georgina Vernon. There are numerous charities for the benefit of the poor, including £200 left in 1713, by Thomas Vernon, Esq., Middle Temple, to apprentice children of the parish, and £1,000 for the poor of Hanbury and Shrawley. Hanbury Hall, the seat of Harry Foley Vernon, Esq., J.P., D.L., and Lady Georgina Vernon, is a commodious mansion, situate in a finely-wooded park of 130 acres, from which the Malvern and Bredon hills are seen to advantage. The house was rebuilt in 1710 by Councillor Vernon; the hall and staircase were painted by Sir J. Thornhill, the subject chosen being the history of Achilles. H. F. Vernon, Esq., held the office of High-Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1873. Mere Hall, the seat of Edward Bearcroft, Esq., J.P., D.L., is one of the oldest timber-framed mansions in the county. The two large gables form a wing, and an octagon turret rises above the roof. A very fine avenue of elms leads to the house. Broughton Court is the residence of Miss Bearcroft, and The Mount that of Henry Bearcroft, Esq.
POSTAL REGULATIONS. – Benjamin Cooper, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by messenger from Bromsgrove at 8.40 a.m.; despatched thereto at 5 p.m. on week-days, and at 9.50 a.m. on Sundays. Letters for Hanbury hall, Mere hall, Broughton, goose hill, Westfields, &c., are received through Droitwich. The nearest money-order and telegraph offices are at Feckenham, Bromsgrove, and Droitwich.
Parish Church (St. Mary’s). – Rev. Charles William Norman Ogilvy, M.A., Rector; Rev. F. W. Piercy, Curate; Messrs. Samuel Wilson and Thomas Jackson, Churchwardens; William Moore, Parish Clerk and Sexton; George M. Greenhill, Organist.
Chapel-of-Ease, Woolmere green.
National School (boys and girls), Hanbury village. – Mr. George Marshall Greenhill, Master; Mrs. Baylis, Sewing Mistress.
National School, Broughton green. – Mr. Richard Lord, master.
Droitwich Road Goods Station (Midland Railway). – Mr. William Pittaway, Station Master and Goods Agent.
Assistant Overseer. – Mr. James Stanton Cole.
Carrier to Worcester and Bromsgrove. – William Moore, to Plough Inn, Silver street, Worcester, on Wednesdays and Saturdays; to the George Inn, Worcester street, Bromsgrove, on Tuesdays.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Marked thus * receive their letters through Bromsgrove; thus + through Droitwich; thus || through Redditch.

+ Bearcroft Edward, Esq., D.L., Mere hall
* Bearcroft Henry, Esq., The Mount
+ Bearcroft Miss, Broughton court
* Cartwright Miss, White house
+ Handy Mr. George, Woolmere green
* Ogilvy Rev. Charles William Norman, M.A., (rector), The Rectory
* Piercy Rev. F. W. (curate)
+ Vernon Lady Georgina, Hanbury hall
+ Vernon Harry Foley, Esq., J.P., D.L. (colonel of second battalion of Worcestershire rifle volunteers), Hanbury hall

AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL.

+ Allen William Ashwin, farm bailiff to Edward Bearcroft, Esq., D.L., Little Lodge farm
|| Appleby Hugh, farmer, Ditchford bank
+ Aubrey George, frmr., Upper Goose hill
* Ballinger Arthur, dairyman, Fish pools
* Barber Thomas, cowkeeper, Park hill
* Barley Armell, butcher
* Bate George, blacksmith, &c., Old Bell
+ Bate Thos., blacksmith, Woolmere green
|| Bate Thomas, blacksmith, Stock green
+ Baylis Alfred Edward and George, farmers, Hownings farm
* Baylis Charles, boot and she maker, Dodderhill common
* Baylis John, Vernon Arms inn
+ Baylis Stephen, foreman carpenter on the Hanbury estate, Becks
+ Beardsmore Thos., bricklayer, Broughton
+ Best William, woodman, Broughton
+ Bickley J., coal dlr., &c., Hanbury wharf
* Burrow Mrs., farmer, Webb house
Caswell Thos., farmer, Ditchford bank
+ Clarke Samuel, Railway Tavern, and shopkeeper, Hanbury wharf
* Cole Mrs. Emma, grocer, draper, &c.
* Cole Jas. Stanton, assistant overseer, &c.
* Cooper Benjn., painter & sub-postmstr.
* Cope Mrs. Maria, shopkeeper and beer retailer (New Inn)
+ Corbett Messrs., farmers, Hollow fields
+ Cowley Thomas, farmer, Goose Hill grn.
+ Cross James, farmer, Goose Hill green
* Drew Alfred, boot & shoe ma., Woodrow
+ Ford Charles, farmer, Hill farm
+ Ford Geo., farmer, Temple Broughton
+ Gardner Henry, gamekeeper for Edwd. Bearcroft, Esq., D.L., Goose Hill grn.
+ Gibbs John, farmer, Hollow fields
|| Gilbert William, miller and farmer, Lett’s mill and Stonehouse farm
+ Gore George P., blacksmith, Mere grn.
* Green Wm., farmer, Pump House farm
* Greenhill George Marshall, master of national school and organist, Village
+ Guise William, beer retailer, Broughton
* Haden John, farmer, Wall House farm
* Harber John, tailor, Pump House lane
+ Jackson Thomas, farmer, Hollow fields
* Jones William, bricklayer
* Ladbury Frederick George, bricklayer
+ Lord Richard, schoolmaster, Broughton
+ Martin Fredk., head gamekeeper for H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., of Hanbury hall
* Martin John, brewer, maltster, and farmer, The Valley
* Mence Robert, farmer, Astwood
* Moore Wm., parish clk., tailor, & carrier
+ Newman Mrs. Ann, farmer, Goose hill
* Newman William, farmer, Skirgins
+ Oliver Geo., head gardener to H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., Hanbury Hall gards.
+ Penrice George, farmer, Walmer farm
* Penrice Wm., Joseph, farmer, Park fm.
* Phillips Mrs. Mary, laundress
* Pinfield Elijah, fairy farmer, Old House cottage, Dodderhill common
+ Pittaway W., goods agent, Droitwich rd.
* Preece Richard, wheelwright, Woodrow
* Price Mrs. M., dairy farmer, The Elms
* Seager James, farmer, park hall
* Small William, farmer, Earl’s common
|| Smith George, carpenter, Stock green
* Smith William, boot and shoe maker
* Steele Abel, grocer, &c., Dodderhill com.
* Taylor Joseph, farmer, Foster’s green
* Taylor Richard, dairy farmer, Woodrow
* Taylor James, police constable, Police sta.
* Terrett Geo. Patrick, frmr., The Forest
+ Tombs George, farmer, Hollow fields
* Toovey Charles, carpenter and builder, Square and Compass Inn, Woodrow
* Turner Alfred, cowkeeper, Old Bell
* Weaver Daniel, farmer, Old house
* Weaver John, butcher, &c., The Valley
* Weaver Thomas, brick manufacturer & builder; and at Stoke Prior
+ Wells John, farmer, Goose Hill green
* Weston Mrs. Mary, shopkeeper
* White Reuben, carpenter, Woodrow
+ Whitehouse Geo., farmer, Ward’s farm
+ Willis John, farm steward to H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., Beck’s farm
* Wilson John, farmer, The Woodrow
+ Wilson Samuel, farmer, &c., Mere green
+ Wilson Wm., farmer, Lower Westfield
+ Wyatt Thos., farmer, Upper Westfield

Source: Littlebury, Littlebury’s Directory and Gazetteer of Worcester & District, Third Edition. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. 1879.