Old Images of Brightlingsea, Essex

Historic Book

Extract from:

Kelly’s Directory of Essex, Hertfordshire and Middlesex

Published in 1890

Pages 55 – 56

Brightlingsea is a town and parish, and as the termination of the name denotes, was at one time an island, and it is still nearly surrounded by the river Colne and its creeks, having only one road to connect it with the mainland, in the North Eastern division of the county, Lexden and Winstree petty sessional division, Tendring hundred and ano, Colchester county court district, and in the rural deanery of St. Osyth, archdeaconry of Colchester and diocese of St. Albans.

The town is situated near the water at the mouth of the Colne and is about 61 miles from London, 6 southeast from Wivenhoe, and to southeastern Colchester; it is connected with the Great Eastern railway by a branch line from Wivenhoe.

Brightlingsea is a member of the Cinque Port of Sandwich and as such is entitled to elect annually a deputy-mayor, but this ancient distinction has been in abeyance since 1804: from the close connection, the parish derives various peculiar rights and privileges, such as exemption from county rates, from service on juries, and from militia service.

Brightlingsea has from time immemorial been noted for its oysters, an extensive cultivation of which is carried on, partly under the Corporation of Colchester and partly by private enterprise: this industry employs a large fleet of smacks, which, in the winter months are chiefly occupied in the sprat fishery. Brightlingsea is also becoming an important yacht station, upwards of 100 yachts being laid up here for their winter quarters, and there is a considerable amount of ship and boat building.

The town is supplied with gas and water by two companies.

A fair is held on St. Swithin’s day, or the Thursday before.

The church of All Saints stands about a mile and a half north of the town and is, in the words of Morant, “a lofty and stately structure” of rubble and flint, consisting of chancel, north and south chapels and vestry, south porch, nave of five bays, aisles and a western tower of fine proportions, with large buttresses, see angle-wise and decorated with 32 niches: it is finished with pinnacles, and has a height, including these, of over too feet, forming a conspicuous sea mark: the ringing chamber presents some curious features; in the belfry are frames for 5 or 6 bells, but only one of the ancient peal, dating from about A.D. 1450, now remains; there is also an sanctus bell unhung, and is said to be the only one remaining in the county: in 1889 a peal of to tubular bells was presented by M. Bayard Brown esq. an American gentleman visiting Brightlingsen in his steam yacht “Valfreyia.”

The church is chiefly Perpendicular, but three of the five bays of the arcades dividing the nave from the aisles are Decorated, and there are also remains of the Early English style, with one feature supposed to be either Early Norman or Saxon: the cierestory has disappeared, having, together with the engmal roof, fallen down in 1814: there are on the floor brames with effizies , of which only one retains its inscription, but, with two exceptions, they can be identified as being the remnals of John Beriffe, ob. 1496, and his three wives: Mary Heriffe, ob. 1505: Margaret Heriffe, ob. 1514 : John
Beriffe, ob. 1521; and Mary and Alice , his wives : William Berife and Joan , his wife , oh , 1527 ; John Beriffe , oh . 1542 ,
and Willam Beriffe , 1578 ; the two remaining brasses not
identified are those of two female figures , e . 1542 , inserted
is the room of two priests ‘ brasses on a bracket of the 14th
cestory : there is also in the Lady Chapel a curiously in
ced stone slab , which would appear to have been originally
the evening of a tomb , but afterwards perhaps the mensa of
an altar : in the chancel is an elaborate and costly monument
to Nicholas Magens esq . who died in 1767 : another peculiar
feature of the church is the number of niches that remain in
the walls and columns : one contains a small mutilated
state , soppsed to be that of St. Nicholas : a series of 87
small memorial tablets have been recently erected to parist
aers it at sea within the last 14 years .

This church was
acently rich in ecclesiastical ornaments , vestments & c . of
which a catalogue is extant : the church plate comprises two
silver chalices , both of 1560 : the church was carefully restored in 1878 , when an organ was erected at the expense of
F. C. Capel esq . of Wilmington , Kent , in memory of his
father , the late J. B. Capel esq . of North Cray , Bexley :
the east window was filled with stained glass in 1881 , in part
as a memorial to the late Mrs. J. C. Barnard , of Great
Dunmow , who died 6 June , 1881.

The register dates from
the year 1597.

The living is a vicarage , tithe rent – charge
£ 140 , net yearly value £ 250 , including 31 acres of glebe ,
with residence , in the gift of the Lord Chancellor , and held
since 1872 by the Rev. Arthur Pertwee M.A. of Pembroke
College , Oxford .

St. James’s chapel – of – ease , situated in the
middle of the town and erected in 1837 , is a large and plain
building of brick , with a western turret containing one small
bell , removed from the church of All Saints , and a clock ,
placed in 1887 by publie subscription : there are sittings for
700 people .

Here are Wesleyan , Free Methodist , Congre
gational and Swe lenborgian places of worship .

The chari
ties comprise 2 128. yearly for the poor , left in the year 1632
by John Sympson , rector of St. Olave , Hart street , London ,
and a native of this place , and 6 a year for the repair of
the parish church , left by the late Miss Jolly , of Brightling
sea .

Edward Westwood and George Bradley esqrs , are
lords of the manor of Brightlingsea and John Bateman esq .
J.P. of the manor of Moverons . The Earl of Onslow and
John Bateman esq . J.P. are the principal landowners .

The
soil is gravelly and sandy loam ; subsoil , sand . The chief
crops are wheat , barley and oats .

The area is 2,873 acres
of land and 682 tidal – water and foreshore ; rateable value ,
£ 9.572 ; the population in 1881 was 3.252 .

EAST END GREEN and HURST GREEN are parts of the
parish .

CINDERY ISLANDS are two narrow islands in the river
Colne , about 1 mile long .

POST , M. O. O. & T. O. , S. B. & Annuity & Insurance Office .
-Samuel Minter , postmaster . Letters arrive from Col
chester at 7.15 a.m. & 12 noon & 7.30 p.m .; dispatched at
12.45 , 6,20 & 7.30 p.m.

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS
Coast Guard , Adam Smith , chief officer
Custom House , Station road , Charles Collis , examining
officer ; James Frost Smith , out – door officer ; William G.
Bultitude , Willie Tracey , Charles H. Travers , Charles H.
Harris & Charles Coller , boatmen
Masonic Lodge ( 433 Hope ) , Swan hotel ; mon . on or before
full – moon monthly , 7.30 p.m .; John E. Wiseman , High
street , soc

PUBLIC OFFICERS :
Surveyor , Isaac Heigho , New street
Admiralty Surgeon & Agent , Medical Officer & Public
Vaccinator , Brightlingsea district , Tendring union &
Medical Officer of Health , Colchester Port , Charles Arthur
Squire Ling , High street
Lloyd’s Agent , Albert Aldous Jefferies , High street
Water Bailiff & Port Sanitary Inspector , Joseph Ames ,
Queen street
Assistant Overseer , Assessor & Registrar of Marriages ,
William Folkard , High street
Registrar of Births Deaths , Wivenhoe sub – district ,
Lexden & Winstree union , George Parker , High street ;
deputy , Walter H. Parker

SCHOOLS :
National ( boys ‘ ) for 195 children ; average attendance , 120 ;
Stephen Spink , master ; ( girls ‘ & infants ‘ ) enlarged in
1888 , for 250 children : average attendance , 220 ; Miss
Mary Annie Rayner , mistress
Wesleyan ( mixed ) , for 340 children ; average attendanes ,
294 Edward T. Pawson , master ; Miss Kate Everett ,
infants ‘ mistress
Railway Station , Richard John Sargent , station master ;
Thomas Fuller , goods & parcels agent

CARRIER TO COLCHESTER – Benjamin Day , mon . wed . fri . &
sat . returning same day

PRIVATE RESIDENTS .
Aldous Edwin , Sidney street
Aldous Robert , High street
Barnes George , Station road
Baterman John J.P. Brightlingsen hall
Blyth Charles , High street
By les Rev. Gen , Vipond ( Weslyn . ] , John st

Closson John , Hurst green
Cobbold Arthur Thomas , Park road
Cook Thomas , Hurst villa
Folkard Robert , Hurst green
Francis Mrs. High street
Francis Robert , High street
Frodsham George Edward , Lower green

Griffiths Rev. Charles [ Swedenborgian ] .
Park road
Hook – Child Albert Theodore , Gresham
house , New town
Ling Charles Arthur Squire , High street
Orinan Henry , Sidney street
Parker George , High street

Pertwee Rev. Arthur M.A. Vicarage
Underwood Mrs. Hurst green
Watts William , New town
Wilkins Rev. Jn . [ Congregatnl . ] , High st
Wiseman John Edward , spring road

COMMERCIAL .
Aldous Albert Jefferies , yacht , gig &
boat builder , Waterside & Station rd
Aldous James , builder , New street
Aldous Robt.builder , High st . & Waterside
Aldous William , painter , Queen street
Alexander Arthur , boot maker , High st
Alexander Joseph , butcher & smack
owner , Sidney street
Alexander Joseph , jun . Star of Denmark
P.H. Sidney street
Ames Ernest , draper , New street
Ames Joseph , water bailiff & port sani
tary inspector , Queen street
Angier George , tailor , High street
Appleby John , boot maker , High street .
Ash George , Royal hotel , New street .
Atkins Ellis Charles , accountant ,
Trinity house , Queen street
Austin Albert Wm . pork butcher , High st
BaconChas . maltster , farmer & landownr
Bacon James , shopkeeper , New street
Bacon Morris , fariner , March farm
Bacon William , Anchor P.H. Waterside .
Bagley Albert , cabinet maker , High st
Bagley Thomas , baker , High street
Bagley William , baker , High street
Barnes Charles , shopkeeper , High street .
Barnes Joseph , jun . draper , New street
Barnes Joseph Hy , milliner , Hurst grn
BarnesSaml . ( Mrs. ) , smack ownr.John st
Bateman & Knatchbull’s Farm Stores
( Richard Attkins , manager )
Bird William , White Lion P.H. High st
Bishop Wm . boot & shoe ma . Low grn
Blyth Arthur , plumber , Sidney street
Bowdell Joseph , master mariner &
smack owner , Station road
Bragg Alfd . Wm , oyster mercht . New st
Bragg William , oyster merchant , New st
Brasted Charles , smack owner , High st
Bridges Joseph , boat builder , New st

Brightlingsea Churchman’s Club ( T.S.
Bagley , jun . see )
Brightlingsen Gas & Coke Co. Limited
( Ellis Charles Atkins , sec )
Brightlingsea ( The ) Oyster & Fishing
Smack Mutual Insurance Society
Limited ( A.A.Jefferies , sec . ) , High st
Brightlingsea Reading Rooms ( W. F.
Pattison , see )
Brightlingsea Water Co. Limited ( Ellis
Charles Atkins , sec )
Broom W’m . clothier , Wellington st
Brown Fredk.market gardener , High st
Brown Joseph , farmer , Hurst green
Button Richard , grocer . New st
Canham John , grocer & smack owner ,
New street
Chaplin Jas master mariner , Lower gn
Clark Benjamin , grocer , Lower green
ClemenceEdwd.smack owner , Sidney st .
Colchester Bank ( Round , Green , Hoare
& Co. ) ( sub – branch ) , open tues .
fri . High street ; draw on Lloyd’s
Bank Limited , London x c
Collis Charles , principal eustom house
officer , Station road
Connold John Bagley , draper , High st
Cook George , sho , keeper , Spring road
Cooper Elizabeth ( Miss ) , ladies ‘ school ,
High street
CooperGeo , Brown , chem . & drgt . High st
Coppin Walter C. baker , Sidney street
Cousins George , pork butcher , Spring rd
Cracknell Fred , Victoria P.H. Spring rd
Cross John , smack owner , New street
Cross Robert , smack owner , Sidney st
Day Benjamin , carrier , John street
Day Sophia ( Mrs. ) , oyster mer . New st
Day William Ambrose , oyster merchant
& ship owner , High st
Death Isaac , beer retailer , High street

Dines Win marine store dealer , Queen sti
Downes John , master mariner & smack
owner , New town
Eade Edward Hy , baker , Wellington st
Eagle Alfred Wm . oyster mer . New st
Eagle Joseph M. smack owner , High st
Ellis Charles , stnack owner , Park road
Field John , grocer & draper , High street
& Hurst green
Fields George , tailor , High street
Fisher Caleb , smack owner , Sidney st
Folkard William , ironmonger & assistant
overseer & reg . of marriages , High st
Folkard Wm . Wesley , hairdresser , New st
French Isaiah , master mariner , Park rd
French Robert , master mariner & smack
owner , Park road
Frost Benj , master mariner , New town
Frost Benj jun.master mariner , New twn
Fuller Thomas , goods & parcels agent to
Great Eastern Railway Co. The Park
Gees John , Park hotel , & smack owner ,
Park road
Gilbert William , smack owner , Sidney st
Gilders Alfred , dealer . High street
Girling Frank , farmer , Lower farm
Goddard John , master mariner & barge
owner , Wellington street
Goddard Thomas , smack owner , Duke st
Goddard Thomas , jun . master mariner
& barge owner , Duke street
Gooch Charles , grocer , Sidney street
Goodwin James , master mariner , New st
Gould William Lewis , grocer , High st
Grimsey Isaac , beer retailer & black
smith , Park road
Hammond William Henry ( Mrs. ) , beer
retailer & baker , Queen street
Harmer Susannah ( Mrs . ) , Swan hotel , &
farmer , High street
Harmer William Clarence , tobacconist
& tea dealer , High street
Harris Anthony Joseph , seed grower &
florist , Hurst green
Harris Rebecca ( Mrs. ) , baker , High st
Hedgethorn George , oyster merchant &
smack owner , Sidney street
Hedgethorn Jn.smack owner , Hurst gn
Heigho Isaac , master mariner , New st
Hibbs Alfred , barge owner , Station rd
Howard Elijah , smack owner , Waterside

JeffLaly & May ( Misses ) , shopk prs . New st
Jefferies Albt . Aldous , oyster mer . High st
Jefferies Alfred Jn . oyster mer . New st
Jefferies James , oyster merchant , New st
Johnson MauriceSadler , butchr . High st
Keddington William , painter , Station rd
Keets Thomas S. master mariner &
smack owner , Sidney street
Kent George , beer retailer , High street
Lake Joseph , carpenter , & King’s lead
P.H. Lower green
Lamb Chas.watch & clock ma.Sidney st
Lee William , smack owner , Park road
Ling Charles Arthur Squire , surgeon ,
medical officer & public vaccinator
for Brightlingsen district , Tendring
union , medical officer of health Col
chester , port & admiralty surgeon &
agent , High street
Littlewood & Son , cabinet mas.Sidney st
Lord Walter , tailor , High street
Lowns Thos . ( Mrs. ) , shopkpr . New town
Lungley Abraham , shoe maker , High st
Lungley Jn . boot & shoe ma . Sidney st
Major Jas , master mariner , Station rd
March Maskell , boat builder , Waterside .
March Eliza ( Mrs. ) , grocer , High street .
Martin Robt . Jas , smack owner , New st
Martin Ernest , shoe maker , New street .
MartinShadrach , master mariner , New st
Miller Fred & Son , brewers , wine &
spirit merchants , High street
Mills Arthur Richard , clothier , High st
Minter Edward , stationer , High street
Minter Frederick , blacksmith , New st
Minter Samuel , postmaster , High st
Musson & Co. oyster merchts . Waterside

Munson John William , Freemasons’Arms
P.H. Sidney street
Nurse Fredk . ( Mrs. ) , baker , New st
Orman ( eo , Freemasons ‘ tavn . New st
Ormes Herbert , butcher , High street
Osborn Wm . Isaac , grocer , Wellington st .
Pannell & Hibbs , sail makers , Waterside
Pannell William , grocer , Lower green
Parker Geo , surgeon , & reg . of births &
deaths for Wivenhoe sub – dist . High st
Parker Walter H. deputy registrar of
births & deaths , Wivenhoe sub – dis
triet , Lexden & Winstree union
Patrick James , beer retailer , Sidney st
Pattison William Fredk.sail maker , ship
chandler & smack owner , Sidney st
Peggs Cornelius , corn chandlr . Watersd
Pitt Robert , Duke of Wellington P.H.
Lower green
Polley Hazell , smack owner , High st
Pudney Abrhm . greengrocer , Lower grn
ReeveAdolphus William , boot ma . High st
Richardson Frank , butcher , High street .
Richardson Robt.oyster mer . Hurst grn
Richardson Thos , beer retlr . Hurst gra
Riches George , farmer , Queen street
Root Charles , Yachtsman’s Arms P.H.
Waterside
Round , Green , Hoare & Co. bankers ,
Colchester branch ; open on tuesday
& friday , Sidney street
Ruffell Florence & Kate ( Misses ) , dress
makers , Wellington street .
Ruffell Fredk . smack owner , Sidney st
Ruffell Geo . land surveyor , Wellington st

Sadler Amelia ( Mrs . ) . shopkpr . Sidney st
Salmon John , smack owner , Sidney st
Salmon Frdk smack owner , New street
Salmon William , grocer , High street
Serutton Osmond Palmer , farmer &
miller ( steam & wind ) , Hurst green
Sellens Alexander , draper , Queen street .
Sellens Alfred , draper , Queen street
Skinner Jesse , baker , Lower green
Smith Adam , chief officer in charge
coast guard , Sidney street
Smith Edmond , smack owner , Sidney st
Smith George , shopkeeper , Sidney st
Southgate Daniel , Cherry Tree P.H.
Colchester road
Sparling Samuel , smack owner , New st
Stammers Joseph , oyster mer . Low.gra
Stammers Wm . oyster er.Low , green
Tabor Alfred William , oyster merchant
& smack owner , Duke street
Tillett James , snack owner , Sidney st
Tracey Rt . M. master marinr.Spring r
Tranham Benjamin , smack owner &
oyster merchant , High street
Underwood Jn . smack ownr . Rope walk
Underwood Joseph , beer retir . Hurst grn
Ward James , barge owner , Station road
Ward Thos . wholesale fruiterer , High st
Ward John , smack owner & ship smith ,
New street
Watcham Jonathan , enal dir.Station rd
Webber Edward , smack owner , New twn
Wellum Thos , smack owner , Sidney st
Wenlock Benj . smack owner , High st
Wenlock Caroline ( Mrs. ) , Railway hotel
Went Alfred William , ship chaniler &
smack owner , agent to W. & Gilbey ,
wine & spirit merchants , Waterside
Went Fred , stationer , High street
Went Jatnes , smack owner , Chapel rd
Wheeler James , beer retailer , New st
Wheeler William , smack owner . New st
Whislay William & Son , ironmongers ,
High street & Waterside
Whiten William , faruer , High street
Wilson Webb Thomas , builder & smack
owner , Sidney street
Woods Frederick , baker , New town
Woolvett Arnold , shopkeeper & smack
owner , High street
Woolvett John , smack owner , Hurst gra
Woolvett Wm . smack owner , Dukefield
Young Mariners Guild Room , Lower grn