[ Last entry: Wednesday
25th January, 2012 ]
.. Dorset sparsely populated in mid-19th century, with around 65 000 souls across the entire county.
.. Until 1956 part of West Parley parish: W.Moors mentioned in Domesday.
.. West Parley was a Royal Manor as part of the Duchy of
York for nearly a century - until approximately 1540. After the death of Sir
Richard Weston in that year the Manor seems to have ceased to be a single
estate and to have been broken up into farms. The land known as Priory Common (otherwise St.
Leonard's Common, Cranborne Common) was sold to Robert Freke; then passed
to the Cecil family. It remained in the possession of the Marquesses of
Salisbury until 1924 when it was sold to Harry and Job Brewer for development. [ The link with
'Priory' etc., looks as if it's down to the fact that the Benedictine Order
owned vast tracts of land hereabouts – which they would have lost on the
Dissolution;
in particular, much of the Common was in monastical ownership and a Chapel (one
of four founded by the order) stood on land which now forms part of St.
Leonard's Farm – not in use by 1739 and only a piece of a wall was
apparently intact in 1869; whether there is anything there now I don't know – for more on the
Cranborne Priory see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranborne_Priory
]
[ Is the 'Manor' the
reason why we have 'Manor Farm', later Gulliver's Farm?]
.. By 1633, certain parts of West Moors were divided among several freeholders.
This area was known as "The Waste" showing how poor was the majority
of land in West Moors. However, this area proved useful as it was subsequently
used for the railway and most of the village now covers this land. .. Part of
West Moors included a substantial area of land variously known as Woolbridge Heath
(early 1800s), Priory
Common, St. Leonard's Common or Cranborne Common - until Henry
VIII/dissolution, owned by Cranborne Priory [Cranborne is of course not too far away to the
NNW]. Associated with Benedictine Abbey at Tewkesbury.
.. During the 16th and 17th Centuries, STURT'S FARM (north of current village)
and WOOLSLOPE FARM (south of current village) were built. The original Sturt's
Farm (possibly
dating back to Tudor times) was demolished in 1968 but the name still
exists today – it is a centre (agricultural) for disabled adult learning.
WOOLSLOPE FARM was the last local (original) farm to disappear - Heron Pines
Estate currently (though that name doesn't seem to have survived!) - presumably
around early 1980s (report written in 1983). [NB: farms wouldn't necessarily have had 'names',
being often known after the family who were the leaseholders at the time].
[ Re: 'Woolslope, Woolsbridge etc…. Wool =
probably from
'wyll(a)' meaning a stream; Woolslope … 'spring, stream' coupled with OE *slaep ..
"mud, mire, marsh' later influenced by Mod.Eng, slope. SO, WOOLSLOPE HAS
GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH SHEEP OR SLOPES! It was probably a commentary on the fact that the
Uddens hereabouts slows/widens etc., and floods the land outside its natural
course – Slop Bog is a misnomer … the
'Slop' is enough!]
.. Before railways - area bleak - rough heathland draining (acid) into Moors
River; Uddens water rather less acid as it has its origin more fertile area to
NW of village. From the map of 1633: effectively land either side of the Uddens
was split into small fields, each being farmed by such as Woolslope Fm,
Dolman's Fm, West Moors Fm [named 'New Fm' on maps in the early 19th century) (down
from current Chemist/Farm Road etc.), Gulliver's Fm (north of village, on
Station Road,
apparently built in mid-eighteenth century as 'Manor Farm', then renamed when
Isaac Gulliver purchased in 1789) & Sturt's Fm (see above) &
these would have formed the 'locus' for what population 'centres' there were up
until the middle of the 19th century. In the 1880 Kelly's directory entry … " The
soil is light loam: subsoil gravel. The chief crops are wheat, barley and
turnips. A considerable part of this parish (i.e. West Parley, includes West
Moors) is heath land." NB: must have been potatoes as well to judge by
other notes of how children were used in the 1870s.
[ a useful and
well-written summary ]
http://gardenapprentice.wordpress.com/farm-profile/local-history/
[ NAMES OF FARMERS FROM CENSUS RETURNS ]
1841: Gould, Clarkson,
Draper, Dolman, Deane, Hatchard (6)
1851: Dolman, Thorne,
Haiter, Hail, Cripps, Chadwin (6)
1861: Martin
(Woolslope), Hellier/Hellies, Woolford, Hatchard, Dolman (5)
1871: Martin
(Woolslope), Gould(nr.Trickett's Cross), Webb (Hilliers), Woolford(Station Rd), Head (Heads Fm,
possibly Gulliver's as barn mentioned), Hatchard, Lockyer, Stone, Bessant (shown at
Dolman's, but only as AgLab) (9)
1881: Gould, Stone, Lockyer,
Stainer(3LX),
Head, Cutler,
Eldon, Sloper,
Cutler (9)
1891: Gale (Gundry's),
Stainer(3X), Joy (Hatchard's?), Bartlett, Hatchard, Lockyer, Cutler, Stone, Cox, Barnes, Ricketts, Rolles (12)
1895: [ probably
selective / larger ones only ] Hatchard, Hatchard, Roe, Strange, Woolford (5)
1898: [ probably
selective / larger ones only ] Cutler, Hatchard, Hatchard, Joy, Lockyer, Lockyer, Roe, Woolford (8)
1903: [ 'Kelly's
commercial ] Bradford, Cutler, Galton, Hatchard, Hatchard, Joy, Lockyer (7)
1911: Hatchard
(Gullivers), Cutler(Dolmans), Joy(Sturt's) (3)
1915: Hatchard,
Hatchard, Lockyer, Young (4)
Note: based on
maps in the early 19th
century, 'West Moors' had a 'focus' (but hardly that – just one farm and some
cottages) where Newman's Farm is now; the area where Gulliver's Farm is (and
was, though under different names … e.g., Manor Farm), was known as 'Little
moors'; As
already noted, 'West Moors Farm' (other names also for this see elsewhere) was
called just 'New Farm', and Woolslope was rendered as 'Woolslup', perhaps a more
correct attempt to render the name (see above). [ Some texts have
suggested that 'West Moors Farm' was the first
farm locally. I'm not sure about this as on the early 19th century maps, it is
listed as 'New Farm', whilst Sturt's, Woolslup, Clayford, West Moors ( Newmans's)
and Little Moors (Gulliver's/Manor) etc., are all there. Unless someone can
convince me otherwise, this is a red herring! ]
BUT,
the land immediately adjacent to the present-day Station Road, and all the land
up to and straddling the Moors River, was open moorland, being divided between
West Moors Common & St. Leonard's Common. It is arguable that there was no
'West Moors' village as such until the coming of the railway caused a community
to coalesce around the location of the halt (later junction station). [
NB not sure about the 'halt' aspect as yet.]
The 1891 OS map (this is the publication date, so survey may have been several
years prior to that date).
This shows West Moors Junction labelled as such - There is a "Railway
Inn" some way to the *north* of the station, on the eastern side of what
is now Station Road – this lies at the intersection of Ashurst Road/Station
Road. The census return for 1871 shows this as 'number 5' and as 'Blacksmith/Innkeeper'.
No buildings are shown south of the railway (at this date) -
moorland to the east of the road (where are now plenty of shops, houses etc.)
and on the western side, fields, presumably attached to West Moors Farm.
A School and Church are shown, which I believe was built in 1896 (which is
after the date of this map, which is puzzling - however, looking at the local
web site for the parish, it says that there was a school-room [built 1843]
& school-chapel, so perhaps the map is indicating these?).
In 1869, amongst major landowners, were: - Sir E. Greathed KCB of Uddens House
(and I believe this to be the ownership at the time of the arrival of the
railway – his name
features in the 'story' of the early railway plans/development & he would
have benefited from its passage across the estate)his name features in
the 'story' of the early railway plans/development & he would have
benefited from its passage across the estate), Frederick William
Fryer esq. of Clarence House, East Cowes Park, Isle of Wight (hence the 'Fryer'
links locally, including our housing complex), to the Marquis of Salisbury [ a
major 'reforming' landowner of the time ], and Sir William Hanham [presumably
the Hanhams of Dean's Court, Wimborne].
At the time of the building of the current church and associated school (on
Station Road, north of the railway/1897 onwards), the population of West Moors
was about 200 souls, spread over a fairly wide area. It was apparently
(unless you lived in one of the big houses, or were one of the local tenant
farmers) a fairly poor community - the villagers earning a living by working on
the farms (seasonal work), and in connection with the maintenance of the
various plantations of trees that had sprung up after the Enclosure Acts at the
beginning of the 19th century.
The railway enabled/promoted a steady increase in population, particularly as
wealthier folk from Bournemouth, Poole etc., wanted to move away from those
growing centres to something a little more 'rural'. The railway provided the
means to do this.
[Chronology]
> 1841: According to Hunt & Co. directory,
population of the WHOLE of West Parley parish (which included West Moors) was
254. From my counting of the 1841
census, and trying to pick out all those associated with 'West Moors', then the
population for this area was something like 80-90 people distributed through 16
(or so) dwellings. By far the greater number were associated with the 6 farms
across the 'West Moors' part of the parish (4 to 8 people per farmhouse / quite
typical for the time), accounting for almost half the total: the remaining
households, also reasonably large, were associated with the land – e.g., often
listed as 'Agricultural labourer' or some-such. Not sure where these dwellings would be, but from analysis of later maps (and then trying
to work 'backwards' to 1841), I suggest that the 'focus' for habitation was
around & just to the north of the current site of the school; along Newman's Lane
(variously called 'West Common' or 'Holt Common') and isolated to the south,
e.g., West Moors Farm & Woolslope Farm. [Children aged between 4 and 14, nominal
school-age, 25]
> 1842 (late): land (probably perhaps on the
eastern side of "Station Road" – though not named that at this time –
or indeed anything to do with the railway) owned by Fryer family conveyed to
National Society for a school. However, there is confusion over which side of the
road this was on, because in "The Heart of the Village", Catherine Hazard
states that this was on land 'adjacent' to the modern-day Memorial Hall; this
of course could mean two things – either on the west side of Station Road, or
on the east side. The history of West Moors church site has the site
just north of the present-day church, with the residence for the school-mistress on the
opposite side of the road. I'm not sure how we resolve this one!
> 1843: school-schoolroom
room built (Hutchins 1868 history
of Dorset), with chapel (turret & single bell) – few details; it is thought
that this school was on a site not far from the present-day Memorial Hall:
probably a 'National' School, which society had been founded in 1811 to support
Church of England based schools to provide basic education. Ages 3 or 4 up to
roughly 14, but schooling wasn't compulsory; based on the census returns for 1851, 1861 &
1871, the first 'schoolmistress' (perhaps not qualified) was one Mrs Charlotte Pottle
(see the census returns below for a little more on all this). [ Numbers of children in the 'West Moors'
catchment
(assumed) area aged 4 to 14, are 1841=25, 1851=26, 1861=28 ]
> 1844 (2nd February): Castleman proposes railway between Dorchester & Southampton (by whatever route) to L & SWR board. Landowners along the route were keen as it would enhance the value of their rather impoverished holdings. Farmers wanted the railway to get good prices for foodstuffs. NB: both Edward & Charles are named on the various notices posted to advertise the proposed railway, though the former apparently had no hand in the various negotiations etc.
( Engineer's report (Moorsom)** considered that the building of the
railway would be an 'easy' prospect. Broad outline of route was given as:-
Southampton – Brockenhurst – Burley – Ringwood – Wimborne – Poole – Wareham –
Dorchester. Of
particular note, it was Moorsom, not Castleman, who devised the rather tortuous
route to take in as many centres of population – Castleman wanted a
more direct route, so as I've written elsewhere, perhaps the line should be
known as 'Moorsom's meander'! One of the important sources of 'goods'
traffic was thought to be wood for the Portsmouth dockyards where of course the
Royal Navy was still building wooden-hulled ships. The change to iron cladding
then iron ships did not take place until later in the century – but all but
ruined this scheme to make use of the woods of southern England.)
** Captain William Scarth Moorsom; appointed 30th May, 1844, presented his report on the 18th July, 1844.
> 1845 (July 21st): Act authorising the Southampton & Dorchester railway passed / Royal Assent. Line had to avoid running through the wooded parts of the New Forest (Forest Commissioners). At this time, the exact line wasn't decided upon through the Forest.
> 1845-47: surveying & subsequent construction of the
Southampton & Dorchester Railway. Because of
the relatively easy terrain to be crossed, lack of major cuttings/embankments
required etc., the entire line (including infrastructure) was completed in less
than 2 years (60.5 miles): the heaviest work was probably at the Southampton
end in connection with the tunnel just to the east of Blechynden.
> 1847 [1st June]: Southampton & Dorchester Railway (single-line)
opens through West Moors – halt (? considerable doubt in my mind about where the halt
was – more research needed) only. A new centre of population (apart from
the scattered farms, 'Cob' cottages adjacent to the moor etc.) clustered around
the railway. They probably lived in what were known as "black
cottages", so named because they had mud and tarred walls (as opposed to
wattle & daub/furze walls of the earlier cottagers).
> 1848 [ 22nd July]:
Southampton & Dorchester Railway formally (on Royal Assent) absorbed into
the London & South-Western Railway.
> 1851: (from census returns); numbers of children in age range 4 to 14 in the approximate
catchment area for the school = 26.
20082011) St. Mary's Church. (measuring approximately
40ft by 18ft made of corrugated iron). It was apparently used for religious services,
parish meetings etc., and was eventually moved to the other side of the road
when the current church was built in the last decade of the 19th century. It was finally demolished in 1971!
> (by) 1857:
line doubled through West Moors, remaining so until closure withdrawal of
passenger services in the 1960s. This doubling within 10 years of opening
implies a considerable increase in traffic, both goods and passenger.
> 1859: school built or rebuilt (apparently still
on the eastern side of 'Station Road', though it wouldn't have
been called that at this time: head's house perhaps on the western side) -
accommodate 100 children [ a large number for this sort of community, though
probably drawing children from a large area ] / all sexes (West Moors, Ameysford,
Three Legged Cross, Uddens, cottages on/surrounding the moorland &
other outlying villages/hamlets/farms etc., including Fern Down, which at this
time was a scattered collection of 'Cob' cottages) together with residence for
Schoolmistress. [NB:
at this time, and perhaps for several decades afterwards, the crossing of local
'water' was via fords (i.e., Woolslope, Clayford, Ameysford) and this often
prevented children from reaching these early schools in West Moors,
particularly in winter-time.]
> 1860: [Salisbury, Poole &
Dorset Junction Railway]; initial proposal for a railway linking Salisbury (and
therefore Wiltshire, the east/west railway link therefrom to London &
Exeter) with Wimborne, Weymouth & the south coast at Poole (remember than Bournemouth
was not of great significance at this date). The L&SWR supported this
scheme, as it would keep the GWR out of what it regarded as 'its territory',
and provide better N-S links with the south coast than via Southampton or the
developing S&DJntR. The proposal would provide for links to Poole, being
more direct than the 'corkscrew' line via Wimborne and the ballast quay at
Hamworthy & also a link striking SE from West Moors to join the Ringwood,
Christchurch & Bournemouth Rly (not then built), so provide direct connection
to the growing town of Bournemouth. One of those supporting the scheme was one,
William Fryer of Verwood Manor! The Fryers strike again. As the intention of the
scheme was to link Salisbury with the south coast, it is a moot point as to why
it headed for West Moors: perhaps, given the bi-furcation allowed for (one line
to Poole, one to link with the RCBR), and the easy country working for the
constructors, this dictated a link with the S&DRly at West Moors, where
there was already some sort of halt (apparently).
> 1861: Royal Assent for the
Salisbury, Poole & Dorset Junction Railway (later just the
Salisbury & Dorset Junction Railway) on the 16th
July of that year. The Bill had allowed for two additional spurs – one striking SE from West
Moors to join the Ringwood, Christchurch & Bournemouth Railway (RCBR), then
not built, and another to run SSW heading for Poole; these were deleted 'in committee'.
[ It is interesting to
speculate at this point why West Moors was the focus of this (and the 1878/79)
scheme. It
may be simply that avoiding the valley of the Moors River also avoided having
to compensate major land-owners in the district (or see my comment a
couple of paragraphs above).
> 1861: In the 1861 census, a
"School and PO" is listed roughly tying in with the location of the
modern school/church (though no clue as to which side of the road), but the
only occupant is Edward Pottle,
who is aged 73 so presumably not the resident teacher, and his profession is
listed as 'letter carrier'. Lots of question result: on the 'school'
point, who was the teacher? In the census 10 years later (1871), the entry now reads
… "Schoolhouse" (only – no PO), his name is now 'Edwin' Pottle (not
uncommon for changes/errors to creep in) and he has now acquired a wife! Her
name is Charlotte Pottle, and she is listed as
the 'School mistress'. She is at thisthat date (1871) 59 yo,
and I can find no-one in 1861 around 49 yo that would account for her presence
10 years later – she mustmay have moved in (and
married) the aforementioned Edward/Edwin, or, as he is listed as 'married' in 1861, she may
have been absent on the night of the census that year: IN FACT, I HAVE
SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND THAT CHARLOTTE WAS STAYING IN THE WEST PARLEY RECTORY ON THE
CENSUS NIGHT – WHY? GOODNESS KNOWS!. Another mystery is
that Edward is listed as a 'letter carrier' in 1861, with a 'Post Office'.
Given the sparse population at this time (104 people/24 dwellings over a wide
area of the parish), and that his main PO would be Wimborne – how did letters get
to/from Wimborne? This brings us back to 'halts' etc., and implies that some
sort of letter delivery service was performed by the railway before the opening of the station in
1867.
[ Children aged 4 to 14
(assumed school age) = 28 ]
> 1864: Work began in February
of this year on the northern section (Alderbury Junction to Alderholt/Daggons Road of the S&DJcRly,
followed in March with trackbed/infrastructure work between West Moors and Alderholt. This
southern section was by far the easiest to construct, having few major hills to
traverse.
> 1867 [1st August]: Junction station opened. Apparently, traffic on
the Salisbury & Dorset Junction railway was struggling and it was thought
that building a station at the junction would help matters – can't think why!
Interchange facility? The S&DJcRly had to pay £20= per annum to the S&DR/LSWR
for the upkeep of the building. My understanding is that on first building, the
station was a single-storey affair, and perhaps there was no resident 'agent'
(or Station Master), because in the 1871 census return, no such person is
listed. By 1881 though, then there is a Station Agent listed. Using the West
Parley baptismal records for 1875, I have managed to find that one: John Samuel Lever is
listed as
'Station Master'.
> 1870-1875: railway profitable, and probably remained so until the opening of the 'direct' line from Brockenhurst through Christchurch to Bournemouth & Poole in the 1890s. This means that the 'profitable' part of the line's life lasted for less than 50 years if that.
> 1871: At this census, population of WHOLE of West Parley parish
(which included West Moors) was 317:
from my analysis of that census, I reckon the approximate population
attributed to West Moors was ~ 1860 / 31 dwellings-households.
> 1871: First PH opened (by this time – could have been running for some time) - corner of Ashurst Road (with Station Road) - possibly a private house converted/extended. The 'Railway Inn' - this appears on some of maps I've seen. However, I can't decide whether this was on the north side of the current junction with Station Road, or the south side – by measuring out on maps of 1888-ish with modern maps, I'd go for the south-corner of Ashurst Road with Station Road – this Inn was then demolished sometime around the turn of the 19th/20th century, to be replaced by a shop (you can see the house that was a shop today).
> 1875: Another 'new' school – presumably an update
for the 1859 (or 1843) version – was opened
in this year oOn the 16th August, according to
"The Heart of the Village", the 'West Moors School' was opened this morning
for the first time by a certificated teacher: head Eliza Matilda
Lavender, then Blandford, husband Arthur Blandford. She married Arthur
Blandford, a local farmer's son, in 1879. Now, it's not clear if this 'opening' was simply that there was a
* certificated * teacher now performing the duty (i.e. Eliza Lavender) and
using a log book etc., as required by the Education Act(s) enabled in the
mid-19th century, or a new building and this was it's first time of use. My impression
from the style of the entry would suggest the former – i.e., they are using the
1859 building
(or perhaps an earlier building), but it is being used for the first time under
'proper' terms of reference, management, inspection etc.
> 1875: school roll numbers 21 (to age 14)
> 1880: school roll numbers 60
(to age 14) … note change in 5 years since 1875 (+39)
> 1885: Schoolmistress is named as Miss Eliza Matilda Blandford (was Lavender, married Arthur Blandford. In the 1881 census, but not the 1871 census.
> (by) 1885: Telegraph office in West Moors / at the railway
station (whether it was there before I don't know).
> 1895: school roll numbers 71
… another increase from 1880.
[ NB: in Kelly's
directories around this time (e.g. 1895), 'West Moors' entries were split
between West Parley entries and Verwood – presumably because the ecclesiastical
responsibility was split? ]
> 1896: (6th January) – odd date
from "The Heart of the Village"; the land was conveyed on this date,
yet the school opened (apparently) on the 17th
February! Anyway, this is how it runs … " conveyance of a piece of land situate at
West Moors for the erection thereon of a Parsonage School and Schoolhouse from
the trustees of the marriage settlement of Sir Frederic William Richards Fryer
[ who would have been in Burma at this date ] and his wife Frances Elizabeth
and Sir Frederic to the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Finance. The land,
amounting to one and a half acres, was bought for the sum of £37 10 shillings …(very roughly ~£3000=
today)".
> 1896: Present (St. Mary's) school opened in
February (17th). Miss Gertrude Le Fevre
– head mistress. (She would, as her predecessors, have had help
from older pupils to teach all the children in one class, though by the latter
1880s, a paid 'assistant' would have taken the infants, though still in the
same schoolroom perhaps?).
> 1896(?): Iron Room moved to other side of Station Road in
preparation for building of Church. The Iron Room was then used as the Church
Hall, and later as a council meeting hall. [ Was the space vacated by the older school used
for this re-location of the Iron Room?]
> ~1896/1897:
St. Mary the Virgin Parish Church started together with parsonage – this latter
nearer to the railway on the same side as the church, beyond the school. The
church, with a burial ground, was completed and consecrated in 1908 (and
further extended in 1927; also new church hall/extension opened in autumn
2010). This
from the 1903 Kelly's entry: The Chapel of Ease of St. Mary the Virgin, at West
Moors, erected in 1897 at a cost of about £3000=".
> 1898: a small waiting room constructed on the 'down' platform [more
like a waiting 'cabin' to judge from the pictures I've seen!].
> early 1900s (or perhaps late 1890s?): PH opened
on western side of Station Road called the Railway Hotel (temporarily the
'Mariner's Rest' [mid-1970s]
after the railway closed, then "The Old Tap" at some stage before
changing to current name of "The now Tap
and Railway"
in November 1994).
> 1901: on the 1901 map for West Moors (which would
probably have been surveyed the year before), the post office ('PO') is shown
as being in the cluster of buildings right by the junction. Was this Florence
Larcombe already running the post office (as sub-postmistress), which then moved to
Moorlands Road by 1903???
> Early 1900s: although
passenger traffic was sparse through the station, West Moors was busy with
substantial general (small-packet) goods, agricultural and horticultural
traffic from a fair way around the village.
> 1902: re-inforced concrete (German) footbridge erected adjacent to
the level crossing to allow pedestrians to cross when the crossing gates were
closed. There must have been considerable demand for to-ing and fro-ing for the
L&SWR to fork out for this - especially as this wasn't, by this time, the
'main' line in the area.
> 1902: Harry and Job Brewer, builders and brick manufacturers from Verwood, began buying parcels of land in West Moors and the first "villa" type houses were erected in the 'Edwardian' years leading up to the Great War (1914). They were built in the roads nearest the railway (so that the men could go to their offices etc., in Bournemouth, Poole, Ringwood, Wimborne etc.) and the wives could go shopping! The principal centres of development were in and around: Ashurst Road, The Avenue, Denewood & Woodside Roads (all north of the railway) and Moorlands, Glenwood and Moorside Roads to the south. These areas then formed the nucleus of the present village (though it has subsequently oozed out along Pinehurst Road and towards the Plantation (the latter though apparently not planted until the early 1940s – prior to that time, heathland that had been allowed to deteriorate). The villas stood in plots of land from half to one acre (to accommodate the pony (for the trap & pony) and also to have the cess-pit/similar well away from the house). Thus, these were owned by well-off people - many for retired state servants, such as returnees from the Indian Civil Service and army / navy / administrators of the Empire. They in turn would have employed a small number of servants – either living-in, or coming in on a daily basis.
> 1903: At this time, the post office was
apparently in Moorlands Road (postmistress: Miss Florence Larcombe**, who became
Mrs Tilsed). Where all this is we don't have a record but logically it
should be near the Station Road end of Moorlands Road. Based on where the
post office is shown in later maps (i.e. 'P' on Ordnance Survey), I suggest the
post office was in Moorlands Road only until the early 1920s.
[** Florence Larcombe
was the eldest of 3 daughters of Thomas and Mary Larcombe – the former a
signalman on the railway, living in the railway cottages near the junction; she
was born around 1875, and in the 1898 Kelly's listing, she is a coal merchant
operating out of the railway station – aged 23: in this year (1903), she is 28, as yet
unmarried. By
1915 (aged
40) though,
she is listed as Mrs. Florence Tilsed – so she got her man – married Hedley
Bertie Tilsed in 1914 (July to September quarter, 6 years younger than
Florence) – given that Florence
was ~39yo on marriage, she probably didn't
produce any children – but I don't know that for certain; Whatever, she was
certainly a
canny lady!]
> 1903: some confusion but the
UR web site says that a congregational church was built at the corner of Moorlands Road and
Station Road at this date … though some references have this as 1908! I assume
they should know. The modern church isn't the same one … having been completely
re-built in the
late 1970s.
> 1904: 4th December: signal box
functions moved from the junction to a new box on the up-platform, adjacent to
the crossing: presumably at this time, manual
operation of the gates ceased with a saving of two staff posts (gatemen).
I have a feeling that the crossing lodge was already not in use for this
purpose, though still in railway ownership; the census returns suggests that the occupants of
the original lodge were not the 'keepers'. Presumably the station
porters would also
have
opened/close the gates as required before the signal box was repositioned.
> 1904: first reference to the gipsies coming to
West Moors. Camped on that part of Priory Common (aka St. Leonard's Common) where the
cemetery is now situated (off Priory Road). [ see late 1920s.] ( However, the
'travelling community' must have been a feature of the wider moorland across
Dorset for centuries. In particular, there is a spot along the Moors River (on
many early maps) named 'Egypt'; the English word 'gypsy' is derived (via Greek)
from that country, and it was thought that many Romany people originated in
that part of NE Africa – hence areas where gypsies dwelled semi-permanently
were often called 'Egypt'. I suspect that Romany people have been passing our
way for centuries!
> 1906: Hampreston PC and West
Parley PC, both straddling the growing town of Ferndown, together with other
parties, suggested that the name of West Moors station be changed to 'West
Moors for Ferndown'. This was turned down by the LSWR, but in Southern Railway
days, the change did occur, certainly by 1938, and perhaps a few years earlier.
> 1907:
school roll numbers: 120 (up from 60-70 in the 1880s/1890s).
> 1907: the Brewer brothers (see 1902) moved to
West Moors and continued to buy more land over the next 20 years or so (i.e. up
to the 1930s). In 1920 they opened an Estate Agent's office on the corner of
Farm Road (still there). Large houses continued to be built through the 20s,
and in the 30s, smaller houses and bungalows began to appear along Pinehurst
Road. [NB: these were individual developments - not large clusters or estates -
these came along in the 1960s and later.]
> (about) 1907: piped water (as opposed to being supplied by numerous
wells) arrived in West Moors. Interestingly though, piped water was not
connected to the school (as opposed to the school house) until 1938.
> 1907: (until 1922) – public bathing facility in the
Mannington Brook near Hatchard's Copse – used for a time by local school.
> 1908: CoE church (St. Mary's) consecrated [construction began
1897]; at same time, a 'Congregational Church' was built (probably finished – the UR web site says that
the church was built in 1903) - at the corner of Station Road &
Moorlands Road (opp. Library). [Became UR Church 1972].
> 1910: West Moors detached from West Parley for ecclesiastical purposes and aligned with Verwood & Three-Legged Cross. [ Still part of West Parley CP for civil administration. ]
> ~1910: Fern Down (later Ferndown) at this time a
small collection of cottages strung out along the two roads, Wimborne &
Ringwood, with no real focal point. West Moors was the major centre in this
district, after West Parley & Hampreston; children from Ferndown had had to
go to West Moors to school up to around 1900.
> (by 1911): Dr Haddon is listed at living in Woodside Road;
apparently he had the house built, on his retirement from the Royal Navy, and
he was the first resident doctor in the village. (He is still noted as
being active in the 1920s and perhaps in the 1930s, according to "West
Moors for Ferndown"); to judge by the style of the houses, I suggest
that he moved into West Moors in the middle part of the Edwardian decade.
> 1911: Population within the strict definition of
'West Moors/West Parley' in that year's census was given as 334; there were
several empty properties … perhaps being built?
> 1911: Gas came to West Moors (but from where? How generated? There
is no record of a gasworks in association with the railway (as is often the
case). )
> 1910/1911: sometime around now, the 'Up' siding
connection was moved into the Salisbury line, rather than onto the main line.
> 1913: Meeting to resolve issue of poor living
conditions of the Gypsy community on the site where the cemetery now is (Priory
Road …
though that wasn't there of course). Eventually they gypsies bought parcels of
land from the Shaftesbury Estate in the Elmhurst/Oakhurst area. This was
probably in the late 1920s, but I fancy that small communities / extended
families were already living there.
> 1914: school roll numbers: 153 (to be the largest number at St. Mary's in its life)
> 1914-1918: it appears that soldiers (Manchester Regiment
specifically mentioned) were billeted in the area of the village (in tents & in private homes
– the latter for the officers
no doubt) – no
more details on this. It would be natural to use the extensive
area of moorland for training, with some senior officers/SNCOs being offered
accommodation in the village houses – a useful source of income for local
people. The
Railway Hotel may also have been used as a messing facility.
> 1914: In this year, Sir Frederick FRYER offered the West Parley
Parish Council (the local council at the time) a piece of land as a site for a
village hall in West Moors (this was sold for the price of £92=). The
Great War (1914-1918) prevented the project going ahead straightaway, but in
1920 an ex-Army hut was erected on the spot now used as the Memorial Hall car
park. A fund was set up to raise money to build a hall as a memorial to those
that had been killed in the war. It was completed in 1929.
> 1915: Ferndown growing rapidly, and in this
year, Ferndown gets its own school, so West Moors loses pupils that travelled
here prior to this year.
> 1915: school roll numbers (St. Mary's) = 92, a fall as a consequence of the opening of the Ferndown school. However, not too many months afterwards, the numbers have climbed again to 113, and this may be a consequence of the influx of gypsies as about this time and for several decades, West Moors heathland was a favourite camping place for travellers.
> 1915: Lloyds Bank opens – where?. My guess is
alongside Brewer & Brewer where the travel agency is now: the old
night-safe deposit is still there (in early 2011).
> 1915: (at least) .. regular 'carrier service' between
Wimborne & West Moors.
> 1914-1918: from the village war
memorial, 11 people were killed in the Great War nominally listed as from West
Moors. (c.f., 20 in the Second World War).
> 1918: of some social interest, on the 22nd July this year,
second-class travel was abolished on the LSWR (it had already been done away
with on other railway lines), as the carriages and compartments were simply
re-designated 'third class', with a consequent loss of revenue for the railway.
Coming at a time of bus competition, this was perhaps an odd move, and of
course in later years, we regained 'second-class' again, only to have it
re-named 'standard class' towards the end of the century.
> 1919: (19th July) First
regular/public-service 'bus service Bournemouth - Ringwood via. West Moors.
Prior to this time, locals within the village would not have felt the need of a
bus service, as most properties were within easy walking distance of the
station. However, as the village expanded, then there would have been
sufficient traffic from further afield, plus of course Fern Down (later
soon Ferndown)
was now expanding and was some 2 miles away from the station - the bus would
have provided a local link to/from the station as well as connecting with
Bournemouth & Ringwood. Ferndown was really ill-served by the railway, and
bus usage expanded dramatically in the 1920s, particularly as the terminus in
Bournemouth was much closer to the main shops than either of the railway
stations. The bus initially called just twice a week, but this increased
to 2-per-day. [
Ample supply of army-surplus chassis & ex-Army members trained to run the sometimes
temperamental engines … ]
> 1920s: growth of West Moors – steady, but limited, to north of the
railway, but in a rather brisk fashion to the south, i.e., along Moorlands,
Glenwood, Moorside, lower upper (i.e. village-end) Pinehurst & Avon
Roads. Roads at this time essentially 'unmade' at least to our eyes – crushed
stone at best or muddy/dirt tracks.
->> [ For development of
Section 5: in 1888/89, and until at least 1928, there
are NO buildings along Pinehurst Road east of where the Heathfield Road
junction is now; I suspect that, as Priory Road & Abbey Road are
tentatively laid out by early 1930s (from maps of the time), that
development of these areas can best be noted as '1930s' and it's likely then
that the Ringwood Road PO was built sometime before the Second World War.
Whether there were any other shops at that end of Pinehurst Road, I have yet to
find out. As
regards 'upper' Pinehurst Road (west of the modern junction with Heathfield
Road), scattered dwellings of some substance begin to appear as early as the
1901/02 maps and by 1910, there is
a notable division along Pinehurst between the 'western' / upper leg which is
well-endowed with Edwardian villas [and a Nursery not far east of where Fryer Mews
now stands]
and 'eastern' / lower leg which is still shown as a rough track.]<<-
> ~1920s: Newman's Lane crossing: Jacobs family –
mother was crossing keeper. Father worked elsewhere on railway (noted as 'Holt'
station, but I'm sure there is no such place locally, though there is in north
Norfolk – not sure if this is what is meant though).
> 1920: Army hut - first 'hall' where Memorial Hall area is now.
> 1920s: pop. ~1500/2000, depending how you define the area –
probably includes Ameysford, Three-Legged Cross and outlying hamlets.
> 1920s (and probably 1930s): large gypsy encampment in the Elmhurst Road area – traditional caravans or other temporary dwellings. In the late 1920s gypsies apparently purchased parcels of land in the Elmhurst and Oakhurst area (essentially open moorland at the time), from the Shaftesbury estate. This enabled them to vacate the area on which the cemetery now stands. See 1960s for other on this.
> (up to) 1922: apparently there was a bathing place in the Mannington Brook, which was taken out of use in this year. Prior to this, elementary swimming lessons were available to the local children – where-ever it was, probably a little way upstream from where the railway crossed the Brook – utilising the footpath that runs past Hatchard's Copse (part of the Castleman Trailway now).
> 1922: Ecclesiastical parish (pop. ~ 900?) established in March (formerly part of West Parley): NB, not the civil parish – see 1956.
> 1923: National Provincial bank opens. No location noted.
> 1924: Land covering much of Priory or St. Leonard's
Common sold by the Salisbury estate to Harry & Job Brewer. Presumably from
this time, further development occurred to the north of Pinehurst Road.
> 1924: Wooden RC Church built (Pinehurst Road/present location).
> 1925: at this date, 'mains' sewerage still not
available to the school, parsonage etc. This would not come until the 1960s.
Bucket-emptying needed of the 'ablutions' to the other side of Station Road,
next to the Memorial Hall site.
> 1925: The railway line through West Moors was still
very busy at this time (early Southern Railway days). Nine down (to
Bournemouth) trains daily came down the Salisbury line, of which 7 were
passenger and 2 goods; in the reverse direction, 6 passenger, 2 goods and one
milk train. On the old 'main line' (from Ringwood, Brockenhurst &
Southampton) the main traffic pattern was to operate a shuttle Brockenhurst – Ringwood – West Moors – Wimborne
– Broadstone – Poole – Bournemouth (West), and this would essentially remain
the way of things for the rest of the line's life, though with shorter
workings at the beginning and end of the day; however, there was
still one direct Waterloo – Weymouth passenger train routed this way (though not
stopping at West Moors). High-season holiday traffic was often routed
through the junction, either on the 'Old Road' or along the Salisbury line
> 1925: Anglican Church (wooden/St. John's) built on Pinehurst Road
(was at Mannington Heath). It may have been built to encourage attendance by
the near-by Gypsy community, but in the event, it was used by villagers in the
lower Pinehurst Road area and associated 'off-shoots'. [ The church was pulled
down in May 2000: it could not be insured and the cost of an upgrade was
prohibitive. ]
> 1925: school roll numbers dropped to 75, probably
as a consequence of a couple of private schools opening in the village – itself a sign of greater
wealth coming to the village.
> 1927: St. Mary's Church extended.
> 1928: RC Church (St. Anthony of Padua) built - replacing a wooden
church that had been on this site since 1924. [ I understood that the 1928
church was also a 'makeshift' structure, but need to find out more – it was
replaced by the present structure in 1976
].
> 1929: school roll numbers (St. Mary's) = 90, but we
are now seeing the beginning of the separation of children at age 11 with older
children going to Ferndown.
> 1929: Memorial Hall built/opened - see earlier entries 1914 &
1920. At the time, this would have been centrally positioned, but the skew of
development along & off to the side of Pinehurst Road has placed this
somewhat out of centre.
> 'late 1920s': Gypsies purchased parcel of land from Lord
Shaftesbury in the Elmhurst & Oakhurst Roads area – moving from Priory
Common (needed to vacate area now the cemetery). They were essentially still a
mobile people, living in vans and other non-permanent dwellings. [See
mid-Sixties]. The Gypsy population apparently grew in these inter-war years
hereabouts – presumably for social reasons in that it was getting difficult for
them to travel about given the pace of life on the roads especially, and they
looked for 'quieter' resting places.
> 1930 (roughly): start of development of the 'Ringwood Road'
end of Pinehurst, laying out of Priory and Abbey roads and some villas along
that end of Pinehurst; the Ringwood Road PO may also have been built in these
years before the Second World War.
> 1931: census population attributed to West Moors =
1181
> 1931: Electricity starts to arrive in village - overhead
distribution – which latter is the dominant means of distribution in the
'older' parts of the village today, but
developments after (about) 1980 seem to have gone underground! Electric
lighting in the school 1934 & radiators 1938. NB: that by the start
of the 2WW take-up of mains electric power wasn't universal.
> 1931: (at least) – Hatchard's providing milk –
the Hatchard's Farm was Gulliver's Farm.
> 1932: Cemetery in Priory Road opened; originally
the cemetery itself and an 'open area', but the latter has now (2012) been
brought in use as an 'extension' to the cemetery.
> 1933: Private telephone lines installed - on the Hampreston
exchange! (Hampreston is/was a very small hamlet, so perhaps the exchange was
at Longham, as part of the old Post Office?) [ the railway, especially the
station & signal box would have had their own telegraphic, later
telephonic, communication system.](the telephone exchange for the area is now/2009 2012 in Ferndown, and from Kelly's 1939
directory, all the numbers are listed as 'Ferndown XX', so I fancy that lines
didn't stay with Hampreston for long).
> 1935: Ferndown now has a 'senior' school (for
all pupils 11 or over), and all schoolchildren from West Moors 11+ go there
from this date.
> 1938 (about): Around this time, the 'official' name
of the station was changed from 'West Moors' to 'West Moors for Ferndown', at
least in timetables & on the main station name board. It may well have been
known as this for some years previous (ref: The Directory of Railway Stations). Apparently, the
suggestion for such a change in name cropped up as early as 1906 (q.v.)
> 1938: Although probably not brought into use, it
was probably in this year (i.e. the year before
the outbreak of 2WW) that land was acquired from the Gundry's Estate to
establish an ammunition depot. There was a lot of planning after Munich which
the general public weren't necessarily aware of as the 'powers-that-be'
realised that a major war was unlikely to be avoided.
> 1939: At the time of the Kelly's directory of this
year, the principal landowners are given as:- Mrs Oldfield (Uddens**), Earl of Shaftesbury,
Brigadier-General F.A.B. Fryer. The Post Office
is listed as being on Station Road. There is a Police
Station listed as being in Ashurst Road(!): presumably a
police house?
[** Mrs Charles Oldfield of Uddens House, Dorsetshire; Charlotte Elisabeth (or Elizabeth), daughter
of Gen. Sir Edward Harris Greathed, K.C.B., J.P., of Uddens House, who d. 1881,
by his third wife Charlotte Frederica Caroline, who d. 1908, eldest dau. of Sir
George Robert Osborn, 6th Bart. She succeeded
her brother, Edward Wilberforce Osborn Greathed, Esq., d.1893; she married 1906 Charley Bayley Oldfield, Esq.,
Capt. and Hon. Major Territorial Force Reserve, late temp. Major 5th
Batt. Devonshire Regt., previously Capt. 6th Batt. Middlesex Regt. Mrs Oldfield died in
1952, and Uddens was demolished in 1955 – presumably the family could no longer sustain it's upkeep.]
> 1939-1945 (and for some time after):
with the 2WW convoys being attacked by German submarines, major efforts were
made to turn all suitable land over to farming / horticulture to supply the
home market. To this end, local farms enjoyed something of a 'boom', perhaps
staving off an inevitable decline in local agriculture. For example, on one
farm locally (Woolslope) the local cricket club was displaced from the field it
had been using for arable production. This situation continued well into the
1950s & early 1960s, though membership of the Common Market, cheap imports
from overseas etc., meant that the nurseries, small-holdings, piggeries,
chicken-farms etc., became less economic to run – and most of these are now
under houses/bungalows etc.
>
1939: A permanent army camp was first set up in West Moors. Ammunition
storage depot. Chosen for location to convenient rail-head & presumably also
it's proximity to (a) the various army
training areas in Dorset, Hampshire & Wiltshire and (b) to the local ports.
Given that it was to become an ammunition storage facility, the sparse
population (at that time) was an advantage. However, no direct connection at this time to the
railway (though note the small spur siding on the post-war map which might be
indicative of something embryonic.); land bought from the owner of the Gundry
Inclosure. Became POL Depot Q-328. Also, throughout the Second World War, the
Memorial Hall was requisitioned for War Office use, apparently at least part of
the time by the 10th
Hussars. This may have ceased of course when the Fuel/Ammunition dump was
handed over to the US Army in 1942.
> 1940s: mention of 'Mr Stevens' shop' where
children from the school could exchange ration tokens for sweets – where?
Perhaps where Hardware / old Post Office is now?
> (early 1940s): apparently the West Moors plantation (Scots
and Corsican pine) was established around this time – part of the 'Ringwood
Forest'; the West Moors section is just over 300 acres.
> 1942-1945: During these years of the Second World War (1939-1945),
the army camp was used by the United States Army [the US entered the war in
December 1941, post Pearl Harbor] for storing ammunition and petroleum products
- played a key role in the period leading up to the Normandy invasion in 1944
& subsequent support operations. Given the railway network at the time, it
had excellent connections to Portsmouth, Southampton, Poole & Weymouth
harbours – all key support facilities to back up the invasion and subsequent
supply of forces as they fanned out across northern France and into the Low
Countries. See the history of the Fuel
Depot here:-
http://www.history.petop.co.uk/html/depot.html
[ the staff at the site were recognised for their contribution to the D-Day operations; were the railway staffs? ]
> 1943: upgrade to signal box at West Moors to add
additional levers, which implies that this is when the sidings into the fuel
depot became operational; this would tie in with the lead-up to D-Day and the
operations thereafter. (Fuel & ammunition dump taken over by the
US Army) [ I
have a date of 14th
February, 1943 for the sidings to the Fuel Depot being operational .. which
sounds sensible. ]
> 1944: at it's peak, the Fuel Depot (US Army) held 75000 tons of gasoline in five-gallon jerricans, lubricants and diesel were stored in 55-gallon drums. The outflow peaked at 1700 tons per day during the Allied invasion of France (Salisbury Journal, September, 2011). The site was targeted by the Luftwaffe, using the railway line as a guide, but only one bomb landed within 50 yards of the depot.
> 1945: at this date (and probably for a while
afterwards) Elmhurst Road 'unmade' – with gypsy encampments along it. Analysis of the St.
Mary's school roll suggests that around a third of the children attending were
from the 'travelling' community – with attendant problems for continuity of education.
> 1939-1945: from the village war
memorial, 20 people (including one woman) were killed during the Second World
War (c.f., 1914-1918 when 11 lost their lives).
> 1946: Upon the US Army handing control of the depot back to the UK
Army, German PoWs housed on the WD site. The camp was re-named No.1 Petroleum Reserve
Depot, RASC (Q-328).
> 1947: (June 25th
on); Fuel
Depot … major
building work
began: roads,
Hq building, storage sites …. I assume that from this time (perhaps at this time)
some, if not all of the Married Quarters in the Bond Avenue area were built.
> 1950s ???: (from 'Dorset Bridges'/A.J.Wallis)
implicit that a bridge over the Uddens at Woolslope Farm replaced "old
steel bridge" in poor condition. The 'new' bridge had a 'steel railing',
i.e., not like it is now (2011). I assume the current bridge was put in place
as part of the areal restructuring when the Ferndown bypass was built – but this is a guess.
> 1956: West Moors becomes civil parish (CP) distinct from West
Parley.
> 1956: First serious talk around closing-down both the Salisbury
line and the old
'main line' through West Moors
between Brockenhurst & Broadstone. Shelved – for the time being.
> 1956: At this time, the St.
Mary's school roll (to age 11 only) was 103, of which 25 were from gypsy
families and 19 from service families.
> 1959: Dolman’s Crossing (No.20) reduced to Occupation status
w.e.f., 16th
June, 1959: withdrawal of crossing-keepers.
>
1960s: (early) mains foul-water sewerage reaches village [pop.~ 2000] -
prior to this a mix of cess pits (tanker collection) & in some of the more
primitive cottages, the waste was 'soaked-away' at the end of what would have
been very long gardens! At the station, for example, in the early days, the
waste from the station-master's house & station facilities was initially
dug into the SM's garden; then, when this proved impractical (smelly!), a large
tank / soak-away
was dug into the grounds into which the deposits were emptied.
> 1960s (onward): this point probably marks the start of the
great 'estate' expansion of West Moors, triggered no doubt by the arrival of
the aforementioned main drainage!
> 1960s/1970s: the Post Office in the village is in the building
opposite Riverside Road (now pulled down), which was abandoned sometime early
2000s for a sub-post-office co-located with the Coop in the main shopping area.
>mid 1960s: Gypsies remained (as above/see 1920s) for many years (temporary
buildings, vans, tents?) then the local Council purchased the land from them
and houses were built, thus re-housing them. Until the latter part of the
1970s, the 'King of the Gipsies' lived in a large house at the (plantation) end
of Oakhurst Road with a meeting house at the rear. The Meeting House (now technically in
Glenwood Road??? think I've transcribed this wrongly!)
has been replaced by a bungalow, but the house still stands.
> 1961: major extension/new block to school building opened (begun 1959).
> 1962: school playing field purchased at back of
school.
> 1964 (2nd May Saturday): actual date of final service (passenger) all lines through West Moors & last day of goods traffic to/from Salisbury.
> 1964 (4th May Monday): all passenger traffic FORMALLY ceased (actual cessation was on the Saturday, 2nd). Line to Salisbury closed completely; limited goods traffic on Ringwood-Wimborne-Broadstone route.
> 1965 (20th January): all goods traffic ceased –
but fuel trains continued to run into the MoD fuel depot (until 1974). At
some point from now on, the line West Moors – Ringwood was abandoned, and the
remaining line back to Wimborne, Broadstone & Holes Bay junction singled.
> 1965: metals / sleepers lifted Alderbury Junction – West Moors (Salisbury line).
> 1965 (5th September): Signal box
converted to a non-block ground frame (to control movements in/out of fuel
depot sidings & residual working to lift track/equipment etc).
> 1965: (20th
September): Most 'loose' freight ceased on 'Old
Road' through West Moors. [Fuel Depot traffic remains].
> 1965: Library opened on current site (but perhaps not the current
building?) Prior to this time, the County Library was housed in the Memorial
Hall from the 1930s, and prior to that, there was a 'reading room' in the
"Iron Room".
> 1966/67: further expansion at the school
(St. Mary's).
> 1967: 7th
August – 'Old Road' West Moors to Ringwood closed completely (Ringwood
closed completely even to goods traffic) / remainder of line (back to Broadstone) singled during this year,
probably starting January.
> 1967: Present Pinehurst Chapel (Christian Open Brethren) opened,
replacing a small hut which had been built in 1943.
> 1968: Sturts' Farm (original buildings?) demolished; this farm was probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest farm in the immediate area. The farm land of course remains in cultivation – see elsewhere.
> 1970: Local education changes from two-tier to
three-tier: local children 5-9 'First' school (St. Mary's).
> 1970s (onward): conversion of old-style large villas to
retirement homes (e.g., Denewood, Glenwood etc.).
> 1970s: in the early years of this decade, local farms/nurseries/small-holdings are still largely active – the farms active beef/dairy etc., but by the end of the decade, the general decline in UK agriculture – coupled with the fact that local land had always been marginal, saw selling-off of land for building; there were changes in central government regulations which facilitated this. The main surgery was apparently located in one of the large houses on the southern corner of the Glenwood Road & Station Road junction. However, this doesn't quite square with the apparent complaint at the time that the surgery was located 'at some distance' from the centre of the village.
> 1970 (18th August): Box (effectively
a ground frame) closed – presumably the residual fuel train movements were worked
as a 'long siding' from Wimborne.
> 1971: (September) Oakhurst Primary School opened (for children to
the south; those to the north go to St. Mary's). This area of the 'village' had
expanded rapidly in the 1960s with the arrival of mains sewerage.
> 1971: "Iron Room" demolished: had been used for church
functions [ see
the 1854
entry ].
> 1971: MoD Fuel Depot named " Petroleum Centre RAOC ",
and later (1976) Dorset Fire Service College.
> 1972: Congregational and
Presbyterian Churches united; the local church (corner Station Road /
Moorlands Road) became the United Reform Church (URC), which was
modified in 1980.
> 1973: About 100 years after the opening of the first public house
(see 1871 above), the Blandford Brewery, Hall & Woodhouse Ltd., bought a piece
of land from Captain F.W.B. FRYER and the FRYER ARMS opened for business in
1973. The brewery also constructed the road [ ?Woolslope Road? ] running off
Pinehurst Road, leading to the Heron Pines Estate - which was eventually
adopted by the County Council.
> (1970s): Woolslope Farm
buildings demolished as part of the development of the extensive farmland for
the Heron Pines Estate; haven't got a more refined year as yet, but from guides
of the time, it seems as if the buildings were in use until at least 1974.
> 1974: (1st June): last 'enthusiasts'
special to West Moors, prior to the residual single (long-siding) line being
taken out of use back to Wimborne.
> 1974: West Moors to Wimborne section of railway
taken out of use 14th October (effectively closing the entire local
network) as the
last fuel train was worked to the Depot.
> (mid-1970s):
Railway Inn re-named (amidst much local opposition) to "The Mariner's
Rest").
> (mid-1970s):
West Moors Farm development begins (Farm Road etc.); also by this time,
both Pennington Copse & Heathfield estates are essentially all built.
Possibly late 1960s/early 1970s. Population by this
period ~7000.
> 1976: Present RC Church completed, replacing the 1928 structure.
Given the tie-up with the dates above and the presumed development of the
'Heron Pines' estate, I wonder if the church owned a larger parcel of land
which they partially sold off to fund the building of the present church. The
church draws its congregation from a large area – as the Catholic church didn't
have a policy of having small churches in every community.
> 1976: (hot/dry summer) - The forest fires in the summer of 1976
endangered not only the plantation (Forestry Commission) but the Army Petroleum
Centre and the village itself. The worst time was the period 26/27th August,
when the fires almost surrounded the Army camp. The Married Quarters (top end
of Station Road) were evacuated and the village sealed off. Radio messages
warned people to "keep away from West Moors" and anxious husbands had
to wait outside the village until the danger passed. After the fire had been
successfully extinguished, it was said that only the design and planning of the
petrol tanks which were surrounded by concrete and stone fire breaks had
minimised the risks of a disaster.
> (late 1970s?): until at least 1977/January, the old
station building was used to house the Youth Club. Also of note around
this time, old photographs still show cows grazing in the fields along
Mannington Brook. From same old photographs – the only
'modern-looking' shops in the village centre are those of Penn Court, rest look
to be 1920s/possibly 1930s vintage.
> 1977: West Moors Middle School opened: all children 9 to 13,
including those living in Tricketts Cross & some surrounding villages. After
13, children go to Ferndown Upper School.
> 1977: apparently there is a 'carnival committee'!
No sign of a carnival these days.
> 1980: improvements/modifications to URC.
> ~1980s: Farm Road shops built????
> 1981: Memorial Hall extended & licensed.
> 1982 (May): main block of flats opened at Castleman Court, on the
site of the former junction railway station.
> 1982 (November/13th): Fire Oakhurst Primary School. Around 50
pupils transferred (temporarily) to St. Mary's on Station Road. Some threat to
St. Mary's but this was vigorously resisted!
> 1983: St. Mary's school-house sold.
> 1983: pop. ~8000
> 1983: at this date, three banks extant in the
village: National Provincial (later National Westminster, or NatWest), Lloyds
and Midland. The latter was in Penn Court: not sure where the others were, but
one at least must have been where the travel agent's is now as there is a night
safe in the wall there (next to Brewer & Brewer). By 1999, only Lloyds
remained, and by the mid-2000s, only the Nationwide Building Society
represented the 'banking' community.
> 1983: the Post Office (branch) and stores was still open
on Ringwood Road.
> 1984 (spring): Oakhurst school re-opens after fire (see 1982).
> 1985 onward: development of flats, small bungalows etc., in the
station yard area, including the building of Castleman Court (there by 1995) on the site of the
old station & approach.
> mid 1980s: Brook View nursing home built sometime now on
site of a market garden – first purpose built nursing home/residential home (as
opposed to a converted large villa etc.)
> ~1985: Ferndown bypass opened – considerable work to immediate south
of village – possibly the current Woolslope Bridge dates from this time?
> 1988: Petroleum Centre declared a SSSI. At least 25
species of dragonfly and 30 species of butterflies have been catalogued and
several of these are classified as either rare or uncommon (Salisbury
Journal/Sep.2011).
> (second-half 1990s):
main phase of flat building in village centre, especially on/near ex-railway
land. Also in this last decade of the 20th century, the trend to
replacement of large houses with a lot of land with smaller dwellings takes
hold.
> 1994: After a short spell named "The Old
Tap", the former Railway Inn / Mariner's Rest was renamed (again) in
November of this year to .. "The Tap and Railway".
> 1999: pop. ~8500/9000
> 1999: at this date, only bank available was Lloyds, soon to close.
> ?early 2000s: rebuilding of the Station Road
shops area.
> 2005: Fryer Arms pub (on Pinehurst Road) closed.
Area to become Fryer Mews development by 2006/2007.
> early 2000s: there was a Portman Building Society branch office in the village, and around 2005/2006, this was merged with the Nationwide, which it still is.
> 2007 onwards: replacing of old, large family
houses on Station Road (southern leg) with various multi-occupancy
developments.
Continued infill of larger gardens / residual waste ground with additional
housing – expansion of 1930s bungalows by extensions.
> 2010: new hall/extension to
St. Mary's church opened in autumn.
> 2011: threat to village library … shop closures due to
economic downturn (travel agent, café: rise of the charity shops!): Library saved!
> 2011: (summer) – demolition of old Post Office
& Hardware/Pet shop opposite Riverside Road – site being
re-developed;
these shops had been there since early in the 20th
century
under varying guises [ see notes elsewhere ] and continue the
steady removal of building-infrastructure that dates from the Late
Victorian/Edwardian expansion of the village.
Ref: History of West Moors & more!: W.I. 1980s"West Moors
Historical Information", West Moors W.I., published 1983 (with short
update in 1990s); available via local library.
Ref: The Heart of the Village:
Catherine Hazard; School-house publishing 1996 (also available in local library)
& various railway-based histories.
West Moors and environs: railway notes
Notes re: London & South Western Railway (L & SWR) & 'local'
railway history
.. The London & South Western Railway began life as the London &
Southampton Railway on the 25th July, 1834: renamed 1839. By the time of the
post-World War I 'grouping' [ in 1923 ], by which the L & SWR became part
of the Southern Railway, it had been in existence for 90 years!
.. 11th May, 1840: line from London to Southampton opened, via Wimbledon,
Woking, Basingstoke & Winchester. Average speed of the fastest trains was
~25 mph, and the slowest around 12 mph.
.. 1844 (2nd February): Castleman proposes railway between Dorchester & Southampton (by whatever route) to L & SWR board. Landowners along the route were keen as it would enhance the value of their rather impoverished holdings. Farmers wanted the railway to get good prices for foodstuffs. NB: both Edward & Charles are named on the various notices posted to advertise the proposed railway, though the former apparently had no hand in the various negotiations etc.
.. Engineer's report (Moorsom) considered that the building of the railway would be an 'easy' prospect. Broad outline of route was given as:- Southampton – Brockenhurst – Burley – Ringwood – Wimborne – Poole – Wareham – Dorchester. One of the important sources of 'goods' traffic was thought to be wood for the Portsmouth dockyards where of course the Royal Navy was still building wooden-hulled ships. The change to iron cladding then iron ships did not take place until later in the century – but all but ruined this scheme to make use of the woods of southern England.
.. 1845 (July 21st) - Act authorising the Southampton & Dorchester railway
passed / Royal Assent.
.. line had to avoid running through the wooded parts of the New Forest (Forest
Commissioners). At this time, the exact line wasn't decided upon through the
Forest.
.. [ of interest: a line was surveyed Salisbury – West Moors – Wimborne, i.e. joining the line at WM: similar to what occurred 20 years later! ]
.. 1846 (November): route Dorchester – Ringwood (including WM) essentially ready to go by this month. Delays elsewhere though, especially in/near Southampton.
.. line opened between Blechynden (later Southampton West, now Southampton Central) and Dorchester on 1st June, 1847, in the same year that the novel 'Jane Eyre' was published; the line initially single throughout, with a branch to 'Poole' (actually on the other side of Poole harbour from the town of Poole). Much of the line ran through heathland of poor worth, where passage was largely uncontested: indeed, local landowners were in the main enthusiastic towards the railway, investing heavily in it, presumably with a view to a tidy profit.
List of principal directors /shareholders:-
The Rt. Hon. Lord de Mauley (Canford) (Chairman)
John Mills (Bisterne Park, Ringwood) (Deputy Chairman)
Charles Castleman (Secretary & Solicitor)
Hon. Colonel George Dawson Damer MP of Came House, nr. Dorchester
Colonel Mansell of Smedmore House,
John Morant of Brockenhurst House,
Edward Greathed of Uddens (or Uddings) Park, near Wimborne,
Captain Joseph Garland of Wimborne,
Richard Brouncker of Boveridge House,
R.H. Swaffield of Weymouth,
E.A. Wood of Osmington,
John Cree of Owermoigne,
William Lambert of Wimborne,
William Fryer of South Lytchett(e) House
[ this is William Rolles Fryer, one of the sons of William Fryer & Elizabeth Gulliver ],
William Voss of Puncknowle, between Dorchester and Bridport,
Francis Bryant of Parkstone, nr. Poole.
.. Electric telegraph not in use along the line on opening, though the poles to carry the telegraphy lines had been erected as far as Ringwood (from Southampton / Blechendyn); the trains were controlled over the single line by means of passing loops and the timetable – a train in one direction had to be physically waiting in the loop, before the reverse-direction train was released. However, not long after the line's opening, accidents occurred, where there was confusion when sending out relief engines / trains to assist breakdowns, derailments etc. There was no way for one station to communicate to the adjacent stations, short of sending men on horses – a slow method of contact, particularly at night & in winter at any time. Work to complete the inter-station telegraph system was hastened and was completed by the end of 1847. [ I'm not clear though whether this included the crossing-keepers posts – logically they should have been included – more information needed! ]
.. L & SWR bought-up the Southampton & Dorchester railway in 1848, just
one year after the line was open for business. It had always provided the
motive power and rolling stock.
.. line *east* of Brockenhurst (i.e. towards Southampton) doubled by 1st
September, 1858 [ i.e. 11 years after initial opening ], and the entire line to
Ringwood had been so-treated by 1st September 1858 (a year later).
.. line *west* of Ringwood up to Wimborne doubled by 1857, just 10 years after
opening. The remainder of the line to Dorchester was doubled by summer
August 1863. The spur to the doubling-up of
the line was the opening of the Great Western Railway [GWR] line to Weymouth
(in 1857), over which [ using dual-gauge metals ] the L & SWR had running
powers. The route Weymouth - Dorchester - Southampton - Waterloo was just over
20 miles shorter than the corresponding GWR service (via Yeovil - single line
originally, but doubled-up early 1880s, then singled again late 1960s), and ex-Channel
Islands traffic in particular was considerable - hence the need for additional
running space.
.. branch to 'Poole' (aka Hamworthy Goods) doubled-up in 1863 as traffic for
both Poole, and more importantly the growing town of Bournemouth, grew dramatically:
see the population statistics above.
.. (from "
Castleman's Corkscrew ") " From the earliest days there were constant
improvements to both stations and trackwork to provide a more efficient service
as traffic increased. A letter from Mr Fryer of Wimborne suggested that passenger trains should
stop at West Moors siding when signalled to do so. It is assumed that the West
Moors siding referred to was in fact a passing loop known as Leonard's Bridge
situated between Ringwood and Wimborne, which appears to have been abandoned when the section was
doubled."
Two comments:-
1. Who is this 'Mr Fryer'? (John Fryer? .. see Fryer file); why did he want the trains to stop at somewhere that hardly anything to stop for!
2. Was this siding in fact the one mentioned elsewhere provided to offload carriages for onward travel to Bournemouth?
3. See elsewhere re: Leonards Bridge – there may well have been a passing
loop there, but where was it!
[ This from Castleman's Corkscrew, by JG Cox:- " This was a passing loop for trains between Ringwood and Wimborne, situated not far from where West Moors station was later built. There is no evidence that any permanent buildings existed here in 1847, although passengers presumably alighted occasionally, as one porter was employed ". [ and, my note, one policeman, i.e., person to use the switches/signals … presumably they needed somewhere to live?!]
.. The precursor plan to the eventual Salisbury & Dorset Jc. Rly was one put forward in the parliamentary session of 1860/61 .. " a much grander 'Salisbury, Poole & Dorset Junction Railway'. As the latter promised to do more to open up the district, it proved most popular. It consisted of line connecting with the L&SWR's Bishopstoke (Eastleigh) – Salisbury line at Alderbury to reach West Moors by way of Fordingbridge. At West Moors a spur would connect with the Southampton & Dorchester line and the southward route would divide into two – one arm turning south-easterly to join the Ringwood and Christchurch line (then under construction) and the other heading due south into the heart of Poole. [ West Moors would have become a very busy place! ] Despite the popularity of this scheme it was soon in financial difficulties that resulted in all the lines south of West Moors being dropped. When the company eventually received the Royal Assent on 16th July, 1861 its reduced ambitions were recognised by a change of name to the Salisbury & Dorset Junction Railway with powers for only the Alderbury – West Moors section.
.. Construction of the 18.5 mi line (Salis/Dorset Jc) commenced Feb. 1864 (northern section, north of Alderholt); the southern section between West Moors and Alderholt started in March 1864: opened 20th December 1866 with a service of four trains each way daily between Salisbury and Wimborne (some to Weymouth, some to Poole/Hamworthy). The station at West Moors was not opened until 1st August, 1867. This was originally a single-storey building. [ In the census for 1871, there is no-one shown as 'living' at a station, neither is the station listed as a 'dwelling', and usually even empty dwellings were so listed; in 1881, then the full complement of Station Agent & family are there. Therefore I deduce that the single-storey basic building was expanded to double-storey/family enabled building sometime after 1871 and before 1881 & elsewhere, from the dates 'back-filled' in the census returns, I guessed that it was between 1875 & 1879. ]
.. Later, in 1878 (11th November), a meeting considered promoting a Bill for a West Moors Railway, to Bournemouth. If this scheme had gone ahead, presumably there would have been three stations in Bournemouth. The intention was to ask the GWR to operate the line (from Salisbury), thence to the Midlands and the West. The line should " commence in the parish of West Parley, by a junction with the Salisbury & Dorset Railway about 40 chains from the junction of that railway with the LSWR". How it would have crossed the main line isn't clear. The scheme did not go ahead.
General notes re: locality, use of railways etc.
... produce from this area (agricultural) milk, vegetables, soft fruit, water
cress, mushrooms,
beef cattle etc. Main destinations being London, the 'industrial'
Midlands and the North of England. In addition, there would be 'local'
small-quantity traffic of 'market-garden' type produce to local towns/markets
and such as bricks, tiles,
cut wood etc.
For the S&DJcRly, the fact that there was a significant market at Salisbury
generated traffic along that line: Wimborne & Ringwood performed similar
function for the S&DRly.
... why this fascination with 'old railways': the lines are gone, long gone!
The engines pass in steam no more & the railwaymen of old are either long
gone, or have moved onto other fields of endeavour. However, the coming of the
railway was the major single event in changing the social & physical shape
of this nation.
OUTLINE OF WEB PAGES CHARTING LOCAL RAILWAY
DEVELOPMENT
... < BEFORE THE RAILWAYS >
Before the railway, enclosures of common land, great estates - how people got
around & goods etc [Hardy]. The carrier's cart, the gentry on horse-back,
the dog cart?? Or people just walked – inferior, un-made roads: essentially
rutted tracks across the moorland.
For the 'great ones' in the 'big houses' to go to and from London (which they would have done at least twice a year), the time taken by the end of the 18th century was about a day or a little more – probably achieved by a split journey, over-nighting at a hostelry, or perhaps decamping to someone elses great estate. Going the other way, passengers for the ferry at Weymouth (for the Channel Islands) had to change at Dorchester, but the journey of 18 hours overall (in one hop) would have been a real bind. Local visits by 'ordinary' people, to get to Wimborne or Ringwood markets, would have involved being away all day – probably leaving early morning and returning in the evening. Many people of course would have spent their whole lives never moving outside the area of their birth. [ The journey once the railway opened took around 5 ½ hours! ]
Much more self-sufficient than we are, though of course with a much lower level of expectation: food was not quite as exciting as that of today, certainly for the labouring classes. Coal imports .. domestic, some industrial: before the railway came, coastal shipping, then slow carting to the villages of the interior. Wood, turf, peat, heather more likely as a lower-class fuel. The look of the countryside - sheep? - brickmaking? - coal imports (for kilns and some homes, mainly 'upper classes') - cattle? [Extract from 'Return of the Native'?] In 1840s, surveyors employed by the Southampton & Dorchester Railway no doubt traversed just such a landscape so vividly described by Thomas Hardy. Whether they appreciated the wealth of wildlife or the fact that the heathland was a product of generations of sparse occupation by people dating back to the Bronze Age is doubtful. The soils are poor - hence the dominant flora comprising heaths & heathers. No arable crops were grown, but the heath could be used to graze cattle, sheeps & horses. These would have cropped the heathers and prevented the overgrowth of, and the heath was used to provide turf & peat for fuel, along with heather for a variety of purposes. Why then would the S & DR be interested in the area? Draw a line from Ringwood (important ancient market town on the western fringe of the New Forest and Wimborne Minster, and it just so happens that the small settlement of West Moors is on its route. West of WM, the line bends south, artificially (?) in my view, and in returning to the approaches to Wimborne, it gives rise to the notorious tightly curved approach to Wimborne station. It is interesting to speculate that this sweep south was to keep the noise and fuss of the railway away from Uddens House (& Home Park) - whose land the railway was crossing (? not sure of this ... needs following up!)
.. Farm Labourer wage at this time ~ 9s / week
.. Navvy (on railway) ~ 15 s / week!
.. First all-line engineer's train Saturday 1st May, 1847.
... < THE IRON ROAD ARRIVES >
Southampton & Dorchester Railway, Charles Castleman [Wimborne solicitor] -
use 'History of the LSWR', OS
Nock. Impact on local area 1847 - 1867 (i.e. before a station was built
in West Moors): did WM have access to the railway at this point? Probably not
as area was essentially a farming community with sparse habitation - however,
there was possibly a halt with facilities to offload carriages for onward
travel overland to Bournemouth: apparently a special siding (still there on the
1901 map) was built at West Moors - this was on the west side of Station Road
and enabled the rear-most wagons of a train to be uncoupled and backed into
same: these wagons would be a horse-box (with facilities for the groom) & a
flat truck for the carriage. During the first 20 years of the life of the
railway, engines and their trains would thunder over what we now call Station
Road with little thought - probably a dusty (or muddy) local farm track running
down to the Ringwood - Wimborne road. A few farms, attendant cottages comprised
the 'community' of West Moors - largely self-sufficient. Only with the arrival
of the Salisbury & Dorset Junction Railway (in 1866). Almost the entire
length of the original railway within Dorset crossed ancient heathland -
described by John Claridge in 1793 as a "most dreary waste". Much of
this 'dreary waste' has now disappeared, or has been allowed, through
abandonment of centuries-old practices of management (planned or otherwise) to
decline to a shadow of its former self. For the surveyors and engineers, the
vast expanse of heathland must have presented a reasonably easy prospect.
Arrival of the railway revolutionised life - speeding up access to local
markets.
[ Extract from 'West
Moors for Ferndown':- "For the Railways there was one last snag to overcome, how
to get up to or through to the fast growing town which was mainly on high
ground, surrounded by the river valleys of the Stour, the Avon and by Poole
Harbour with the river Frome.
By road, the only
available bridges across the Avon were at Christchurch and Ringwood and over
the Stour at Iford and Longham. For horse-drawn vehicles, especially laden
wagons, routes were found, after crossing the Stour by Iford Bridge, along the bank of
the river to the road from Holdenhurst. Avoiding trying to climb Pokesdown hill
with say, a heavy load of bricks on the wagon, perhaps from kilns at Verwood or
Stapehill, with only two strong horses and a rolling piece of wood behind
the wheel for a brake. Over the bridge at Longham was a better direction to take
as it was flat through Kinson and on to Redhill. Along the river bank, up to
Moordown and so into Bournemouth. With the coming of the Railway to West Moors
this became one of the favourite routes into Bournemouth for a number of years,
until the railway was extended further into the town, the West Station opening
and much later the Central Station, on from Christchurch.
For the wealthy Mill
owners and the people from London and Northern industrial towns, who had money
to build and live in a garden town like Bournemouth, a special siding was built at West Moors. This
enabled the last two wagons of the train, a horse box, for horse and groom and
a flat bed wagon for the carriage to be shunted into this siding.
You then took the route
mentioned
into Bournemouth with comparative ease, or as your journey often ended at West
Moors late in the evening or at night, you could put up at the Railway Hotel. Stable your horses and
provide accommodation for the groom, who was essential for taking the harness
from the railway horse box and harnessing up the horses to bring the carriage round to the Hotel. He
it was, who had to harness up the horses in the morning and shut them into the
carriage and connect up the traces to the pole and carriage, making everything
ready for the off. "
... < OPERATING DETAILS >
L & SWR - use above & other web sites: typical engines (early
days/single, large driving wheel), running schedules/speeds (<<60mph),
signalling etc. Steam locomotives were pioneered in Britain. Became the predominant
mode of travel, rapidly displacing horse-drawn stage-coach & canal traffic
(and began the demise of coastal shipping for delivery of such bulk goods as
coal, iron ore etc.); horse still needed of course - local feeders and personal
transport (where people could afford same). Fundamentals of the steam
locomotive set by ~1835, only 10 years before the local railway was undertaken.
Engines that first moved across Station Road (what was it called I wonder?)
would have looked most odd: huge, single-pair of driving wheels, some 7 to 8ft
6" in diameter; an open cab (i.e. no protection whatsover for the driver
and fireman - this would not really come until the end of the 19th century):
there was just a forward-facing 'spectacle plate' for the driver to peer through
– hardly any protection. The fuel was initially coke (not coal). Indifferent braking - but then speeds were
not high: 60 mph was regarded as astounding in the 1840s, and the more usual
'cruising' speeds would be around 40 or 50 mph: using the 1857 timetabled times
between Ringwood & Wimborne (9.75mi covered in approx. 20 mins), the
average speed over this section was ~ 30 mph, so allowing for the speeding
up/slowing down profile, this implies 'top' speeds of no more than 40 mph.
Carriages were basic at first - little more than stage-coach bodies mounted on
railway wagons - indeed for third class passengers, you expected to travel (as
per the crew) open to the elements on essentially an open wagon! Signalling was
very basic - the block system not common until the 1860s, and safety, such as
it was, depended upon drivers & station-masters following the strict
timetables to avoid one train running into the back of another. Essentially,
the early railwaymen regarded the railways as no more than a speeded up version
of the turnpikes, and there was resistance to safety measures (signalling,
block working, inter-station signal boxes etc.), for a long time. It needed a
series of bad accidents in the mid-19th century for things to change. At the
'Station Road' crossing, there was a gate house - this housed the resident
gate-keeper who would control road traffic to the schedule set down for the
running of the railway - cart traffic & animals. Road traffic would be
light, and the trains crossed at relatively low speed, so it would have been
fairly easy to maintain safety, provided the gate-man was conscientious &
had an accurate clock. Signals, when they did appear, where basic and based on
a rotating disk. Later, the more familiar semaphore signals were introduced,
but of the lower-quadrant type.
Of note, for much of the 19th century & into the early 20th
century in some places, ballast (crushed stone) covered the sleepers,
unlike later practice where the sleepers were clear of such. Haven't yet found
out why – did they think that the extra cover would protect the wooden sleepers
in some way?
... < THE GOLDEN YEARS >
1867 - 1888, the 'golden years' - effectively the local portion of the main
line to Poole, Dorchester & Weymouth for traffic to/from Southampton &
London. The fact that a station might be one or two miles outside a village
after which it was named (e.g. Verwood) would not have been a problem -
remembering that before the arrival of the railway a journey to the nearest
market town (i.e. Wimborne or Ringwood) would have been a very slow, tedious
affair, taking up the entire day from dusk to dawn. As noted above, the engines
& carriages would have looked most odd to us now - but by the latter part
of the 1800s, engines and rolling stock were being designed and built that
would carry on operating until well into the 20th century. However, operating
practices as late as the 1870s left a lot to be desired: many trains ran
without any form of continuous brake (braking being split between the engine
brakes – notoriously poor, and the guard's brake), and mixed trains of both
passengers and goods wagons were common.
The coming of the railway enabled farmers & market gardeners to reach major towns/cities (particularly London/Covent Garden, along with the Midlands & North, via the S&DJR) with their produce in the best of condition. This applied particularly to milk – although our particular area wasn't a main dairying centre, not far away to the north and west, where grassland was lusher/sweeter, the LSWR operated an extensive service of van trains to collect/return milk churns to timings that would have been suitable for passengers, seven days a week.
Although, in common with other railways, the early passenger coaches left a
lot to be desired (especially for second and third-class passengers), the LSWR
did have a reputation during the greater part of the 19th century
for comfortable & roomy carriages, at least for first-class passengers.
However, they fell behind to some extent as the years rolled on, and the GWR
and Midland Railway were held up as models in this respect by the latter decade
of this century.
... < A COUNTRY RAILWAY >
1888 - 1923, settled pattern of service to the community. No 'subsidy', but
then traffic levels were high, with no competition from road transport -
indeed, what little mechanised transport there was actually helped the railways
to deliver services, by feeding goods & passengers to the local railway
stations. In addition to the timetabled (passenger) trains shown elsewhere,
there were of course goods trains [ which ran to their own timetable /
assembled at Poole Goods] and the ubiquitous 'paper' train arrived at West
Moors Junction, from Salisbury, at around 5am. Another 'early' train was the
mail train - essentially running from Brockenhurst (via Ringwood) to Poole,
with each station having a 'drop' of bagged mail/parcels to be sorted/delivered
by local post offices along the route. Mail that was posted in London one
afternoon could be delivered by midday of the next day. The mail would be sorted
on the main-line train from Waterloo to Bournemouth. The availability of the
railway to carry 'small goods' traffic allowed shops/businesses to grow up in
the village - whereby orders could be taken and delivery taken from around the
country. West Moors would have been much busier than Ferndown at this time,
because of the ease of access. The local nurseries would send plants/seeds
around the country. Children of the well-to-do would attend grammar or private
schools in Wimborne, Parkstone, Poole or Ringwood.
Note that, although the Alderbury Junction – West Moors line was only ever
single-line (with passing points at some stations) throughout its life, it was
used by through trains to/from Cardiff & Bournemouth, and very occasionally
from other points to the north.
... < SOUTHERN DAYS >
1923 - 1948: Southern Railway [ upon amalgamation of L & SWR with LB &
SCR and SE & CR ] - increasing competition from road transport, at least
for 'local' deliveries, though at first, this helped the railways - as they
could use local feeder vans/carriers. In 1938, an army camp was established on
the heathland to the NE of the village, and 2WW further delayed the demise of
rail-borne traffic, though it also had a significantly negative effect on the
infrastructure & rolling stock. One important element due to the Second
World War, in particular in support of Allied landing forces for D-Day, was the
establishment of the fuel & ammunition depot on the former 'common land'
east of the West Moors/Verwood railway line: these were primarily to support US
Army units. Sidings were laid from the junction to the fuel depot, which were
in use until final closure of the railway (and replacement by oil pipelines) in
the early 1970s. Upper quadrant signalling.
[ Extract from "West Moors for Ferndown"
// Deryck Wiseman // published ~2000 … talking, I think about life in the late 1920s
and the 1930s ]
** West Moors station
& procedures ….. "… At West Moors, the Railway Station was the
active centre of the village. The first train was at five o'clock in the
morning, called the paper train, because it brought the daily papers from
London. It came down the Salisbury Line and went on to Dorchester and Weymouth
with the papers and mail for the Channel Islands. The next train came from Brockenhurst and brought the mail
and parcels that had been sorted on the train during its journey down from
Waterloo. It was dropped off the main line train at Brockenhurst in separate
mail bags for all the stations down the two branch lines to Poole and to Lymington.
One of the four village postmen and also a van from Ferndown, collected the
bags of mail and parcels and in West Moors took them down to the Post Office
next to the Chapel. The Post Office was run by the Nicholls family who also had
a coal business. . . . . The daily newspapers and periodicals were handled in
the same manner, being collected from the Station booking office and taken by
the newsagents to their shops where the paper boys sorted their papers according to the list for
their round and were on their way by six thirty a.m.
The train from the
Salisbury Line arriving at five a.m. came down the single track which was
controlled by a Tablet. This was a brass bar with notches in it, not unlike
a large key and was carried by the Engine Driver in a leather pouch with a
large pear shaped handle painted white. If the train was on the move this could
be held up so that the Driver or Fireman, usually the Fireman as the Driver was
busy with the controls, could put his arm through the loop and take the tablet,
thus keeping the train in motion, though slowly. Normally all trains halted at
West Moors and the signalman, if it was a down train off the Salisbury Line,
had all the signals at danger as it was crossing both tracks of the dual line
it was joining. When the train was clear of the up line to Ashley Heath he then
closed the single line points which could not be opened without inserting the
Tablet key he collected from the driver. At least three minutes before the
arrival of any train the Station Road Crossing gates were closed and all the
traffic had to wait until the train was on its way again. In the early days the
double gates were closed and opened by the Gatekeeper who lived in the house
next to the Railway Hotel as it was then called. It is now the only building
remaining of all the buildings, platforms and goods yard sidings that comprised
the Station. The large single gates, later installed, were operated by the
Signalman turning a large wheel within the Signal Box. Uncle Jess, who was the
Gatekeeper in the early days, lived in the house and if you were having a cup
of tea with him and his wife and a goods train was rattling through, it was
like being in an earthquake. It was all a tremble and your tea in the cup on
the table had rings dancing on it. By seven a.m. it was all go at the Station
Booking Office, tickets being issued, luggage being labelled if it was going
into the guards van, parcels being sent for collection, crates of chickens,
wicker baskets of racing pigeons being sent to be released at some faraway
Station and the time of release being sent by telegram to the owner. Needless
to say the pigeons often got home before the telegram but it was good to know
how long they took when they clocked in at their loft. Small trees and shrubs, their
roots sewn in sacking from Stewart's Nursery and other goods and machinery from
Comb Pluckers Ltd. West Moors, put ready for loading into the guards van on the
up or down trains. The children waiting for the train to Wimborne and
Parkstone, boys to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School at Wimborne and girls to
Parkstone Grammar School. In the winter they waited in the waiting room, by the
ticket office, where there was a coal fire in the big grate. This meant that if
you didn't get across the line while the gates were open to traffic, as you
were not allowed to cross the lines when they were closed, you had to dash up
the steps of the footbridge and down the other side before the train actually
arrived. In non school time, it was great fun to stand on the footbridge and be
enveloped in steam and smoke as the engine passed beneath you. In the goods
yard the local coal merchants were busy bagging and weighing their coal and
coke. If their 12 ton wagon of coal was in the siding it would be bagged and
weighed onto the lorry to save lifting it from the ground. Some of the coal
merchants had a bunker in the goods yard, others took their coal to their own
yards. Mr Tickle to Ferndown ….. (rest not relevant) …. Mr Newcombe's yard was
in Ashurst Road and Mr Pulsfords in Station Road where the One Stop shop now
is. Others from Three Cross, Woolsbridge and Holt had theirs from West
Moors and bagged it to deliver direct or took it home to their local yard.
Timber for building came up from Poole where it was imported, mainly from
Finland and Sweden. All the coal was loaded direct into wagons from the
coasters laying alongside the quay at Poole Town or Hamworthy. Anthracite came from Wales
via the Salisbury
Line, as did the excursion trains that came down to Bournemouth on Sundays in
the summer from Cardiff and Newport. They went back singing hymns and picked up
the tablet for the Salisbury Line, pulled up the slight incline to Verwood
about 10 o'clock. I think they got to Cardiff at about midnight. The fare was
5/- in real money. The goods train came up from the goods yard at Poole where
is was assembled and there was much shunting of full and empty wagons to go
back, half empties to be left, the guards van to be at the end. It kept the
porter busy coupling and uncoupling the heavy links for an hour or more. Mr
Burt arrived with his lorry at about 8 a.m. at the large corrugated iron shed
to load the boxes, parcels, sacks and a hundred and one different articles
brought by rail from all parts of the country. He delivered them to shops,
firms and private addresses all around the district. Any spares required for
machinery which were not stocked locally could be ordered by businesses and
delivered by rail in a comparatively short time, also luggage could be sent in advance
(of a journey) with every prospect of it arriving at its destination as it had
the name of the station required pasted on it and your address on a label tied
to it. In all respects it was a very efficient service to both town and rural
areas. Heavy items had to be collected and loaded by the crane in the station
goods yard which required an open truck. The Railway Signal Box, opposite the Railway Hotel,
was the meeting point for the village lads as it had the only street light in
West Moors. A gas lamp on a long bracket to light the steps leading to the
station
platform and the footbridge over the lines, for use when a train was expected
and the crossing gates were closed. The Signal Box had windows on all four
sides and was well lit by gas light at night. A large bell outside
the box gave the signal to traffic and walkers, that the gates were about to be
closed. There was often someone who was making a dash to get through and the
Signalman, closing the gates, would cease turning the large wheel for a few
seconds to let them through. The details of the bell signals and answering
pushes on the knobs were a language on their own, only understood by the
signalman. Levers had to be pulled for distant and home signals, points levers
had to be checked especially for the junction line if it was a train for
Salisbury. The tablet would be put in its pouch ready to hand to the fireman,
as the driver would be busy on the brake lever, as the train pulled into the
Station on the up line. It was all systems go for the signalman and it would
take someone who had been on a signalman's course to describe all the safety
requirement. Suffice it to say that it was a relief to wind the handle, open
the gates and let the traffic go on its way, giving a short respite until the
next train arrived. At that time, in the early '30s, the Signalmen were Mr
Wilkins, Mr Waterman and Mr Ridout, Mr Brockway having retired after many years
service. Their cottages were a long line of semi-detached single storey dwellings,
about ten feet away from the line where Arnold Road now ends and the footpath
goes through to Mary's Lane and Station Road. Again, when trains rattled by it
was like a thunderstorm, but like everything else, I suppose, one got used to
it. It was said that they were originally the stables for the large number of
horses used when the line was built. The Station Master lived in the house which
adjoined the booking office come parcels room and the two waiting rooms. There
were buckets in the toilets in both the men's, woman's and the Station Master's
lav. These were emptied by one of the Gangers men who dug a trench in the
Station Master's garden and filled it in each day. This way the garden was dug
each year. As time went by this daily job got too much to bear as it delayed
the men taking off on the trolley who had to wait for the bucket emptier to
join them. In the interests of efficiency and some union pressure it was
decided to dig a large cesspit in the goods yard. This proved to be difficult
as the chosen site filled with water every night. Worse still the sand ran in
with it, taking the shuttering with it also. I believe a large iron tank was
the final solution, being emptied by a violet wagon once a week. A full flush
system was installed when main drainage came. Oil lamps were used on
the signals and these had to be filled and the wicks trimmed. This was the job
of a junior porter, Walter Waterman, who
had to walk the distance and home signals, climb the twenty five foot
ladder with a newly filled, trimmed and lit lamp, then take the replaced
lamps back to the lamp room for cleaning and refilling.
** Level Crossings,
Keepers …
The work of the Crossing Keepers was an important contribution to safety on the
railway. Where the line crossed the road to Three Cross from West Moors, the
road came round a corner at Newmans Lane and halfway along to the next corner
the crossing gates were situated together with a small signal box. A bell
signal would tell the keeper, Mr Horne, that a train had left Verwood Station,
which he would answer. Setting his signal at danger, he would go out and
close the four gates and later the small pedestrian gates, all to a set
pattern. One gate each side first to ensure no vehicle was across the line,
then the other pair, with the small gates last. He would then set his signal at
green and push the bell for the West Moors signal box when the train had passed
his crossing. Farm crossings were kept closed and only opened on demand, the
keeper knowing the times of the trains due and any goods or specials. He was
usually a retired railway man who had his cottage by the gates and his garden
along the line. The next crossing up the Salisbury line was down the lane
opposite the Forestry Cottages, the first houses on the right as you come to
Three Cross from West Moors. As I remember, it had a pair of single gates with
wickets, which, when opened swung well clear of the track. The crossing keeper
was Mr Waterman, father of the signalman in the West Moors signal box and the
signalman's son, Walter, was a porter at the Station. The crossing was opened
on request. Not very popular if requested between midnight and four a.m. when
the keeper was up to see if the crossing and line were clear for the first
train through, just before five o'clock. In rural districts, taking herds of cows
across the line for early morning milking could be a hazardous operations as
they are inclined to dawdle a bit and it has been known for nasty accidents to
happen if one or more got down the lines.
> 1938 (about): Around this
time, the 'official' name of the station was changed from 'West Moors' to 'West
Moors for Ferndown', at least in timetables etc. It may well have been known as
this for some years previous (ref: The Directory of Railway Stations).
> "Railways Act 19th August, 1921 – four
major concerns: effective 1st
January, 1923. Speaking generally the period between the wars was
not an easy one for the railways. In addition to the administrative upheaval of
the Grouping they endured loss of business through depression in heavy industry, the
General Strike and erosion of their monopoly through road competition, without
compensating relaxation of restrictive legislation. Nevertheless, during this
period, (overall) they paid their way and made considerable progress towards
modernisation of their undertakings."
[ Railways of Dorset; J. H. Lucking/RCTS/1968]
... < POST-WAR ROAD >
1948 - 1955 post-war secondary peak in passenger railway traffic, and people
wanted to travel again, but the car & luxury coach eventually demolished
the requirement for 'local' rail, and goods traffic was quickly removed from
the railways to the roads.
" Nationalisation
took effect on 1st
January, 1948, precisely 25 years after the Grouping."
… decision to persevere
with steam traction – make do and mend – diesels rather perfunctory – Britain
tired/bankrupt – compare with continental Europe – Marshall Plan etc.
1955 - 1964 the cold facts of life. Beeching (though consideration to partial
or full closure of the local network had already been considered). The lines around this area
had suffered from poor timetabling, indifferent marketing and the stations had
been allowed to deteriorate since the mid-1950s.
1964 - 1974 residuals: line Ringwood to West Moors closed 7/8/1967; line
Wimborne-West Moors closed 14/10/1974.
today: . . . . . .
..
Heathlands [ low-growing, woody plants dominate ] - shallow, acid/infertile
soils - mix sands, gravels, pebbles & clays: the whole forming 'Poole
Basin' - bordered by more fertile chalklands.
..
Hardy description: heathland (dominated by Heather) originally near-unbroken
from Poole / Bournemouth to Dorchester and well inland, including New Forest.
..
Occasional breaks major rivers (Frome, Piddle, Stour, Avon) - alluvial
desposits, with gravel - more fertile.
.. At
end 18thC, roughly 40 000 ha, but early 19thC, down to ~30 000ha. By 1960,
natural heathland had shrunk dramatically to <1/4 of original, and now
(early 21stC) down to 1/8th original.
..
Soils (strongly acidic) not conducive to 'English' tree growth - stunted trees
- with dwarf shrubs dominant, heathers/heaths/gorse.
..
Suitable only for low-level grazing (cattle, sheep, ponies/horses).
..
Exploited for peat(fuel), turf(fuel), heather(thatching, broom-making, road
bases), gorse(old - fuel, young - fodder), bracken/fern: bedding & low-quality
fuel. Sand, gravels & clay also abstracted on small-scale.
..
Local/small-scale potteries.
..
3000+yr of such use ensured heathlands persisted until relatively recently.
..
Current conifer stands/forests are not natural - result of planting for economic
reasons by large estates and Forestry Commission (post-Great War). Deciduous
trees fail, coniferous, particularly pines, flourish: Scots, Corsican &
maritime pines. Main loss to forestry planting occurred with formation of
Forestry Commission in 1919 – though West Moors plantation (just over 300 acres) apparently not
established until the early 1940s.
..
Rivers draining our area (SE Dorset) mainly acidic, with Uddens water highly
acidic (pH =~4).
..
Arrival of railways in mid-19thC made coal available, to gathering from the
heathlands of gorse, peat and turf wasn't required (changing the 'look' of the
heath).
[
extracts, notes etc., from 'West Parley' parish records available at:-
http://www.opcdorset.com/Miscellaneous.htm#WestParley
]
[1841
Census/night 6-7th June; 254 across whole parish, 54 dwellings,
6 uninhabited]
.. Gould
(Farmer) .. 6 (includes family Frampton x4, one of who is George, age 7.)
[ looks
as if Frampton actually farming land -
probably 'Gould's Farm, around Trickett's Cross? ]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Clarkson
(Farmer) .. 5
[
Listed as the 'Farm House', so I assume this is 'West Moors Farm' ]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Draper
(Farmer) .. 6
[ not
sure where this is .. or if they are at a farm ]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Frampton (Ag.Lab) .. 3 (includes yet another
George, age 10)
*** children 4/14=01
.. Dolman
(Farmer) .. 8
[
presumably 'Dolman's Farm' ]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Jacobs (Ag. Lab) .. 9
*** children 4/14=04
.. Frampton (Ag. Lab) .. 1
..
Stone (Ag. Lab) .. 5
*** children 4/14=01
.. Dean (Farmer) .. 2
.. Bailey (Ag. Lab) .. 10
*** children 4/14=04
.. Barrett (Bricklayer) .. 7
*** children 4/14=04
.. Whitcher (Gamekeeper) .. 4
*** children 4/14=02
.. Hatchard
(Farmer) .. 4
[ probably at Gulliver's Farm ]
.. Seveior (Ag. Lab) .. 6
*** children 4/14=03
.. Chapple (Ag. Lab) .. 2
.. Lockyer (Ag. Lab) .. 8
*** children 4/14=02
{ total
.. 86 / 16
households:
number of children age 4 to 14 (roughly school-age)= 25}
[1842 Pigot and Co., Directory]
= Fryer, Gosse & Pack (on the Quay)
[1851
Census/30th-31st March]
(Three Legged Cross)
.. Barrett
(Bricklayer) .. 8
*** children 4/14=03
.. Stickland
(Labourer) .. 6
.. Bailey
(Woodman) .. 7
*** children 4/14=03
.. Tinsley
(Labourer) .. 3
*** children 4/14=01
(West Moors)
.. Dolman (Farmer/40 acres/10
acres heath) .. 8
(a 'George Frampton' is here!)
*** children 4/14=01
.. Jacobs (Farm Lab) .. 6
*** children 4/14=01
.. Stone (Farm Lab) .. 4
*** children 4/14=02
.. Sell (Rail labourer) .. 4
.. Thorne (Farmer/20 acres) .. 2
.. Lockyer (Farm Lab) .. 2
.. Hatchard
(Farmer of 50 acres) .. 7
*** children 4/14=03
.. Jacobs (Farm Lab) .. 3
.. Haiter (Farmer/60 acres) .. 7
*** children 4/14=01
.. Pottle (Chelsea Pensioner) ..
3
[ The listing is … Edward Pottle, Head,
Married, 62, Chelsea Pensioner, Dorset, Crayford: Charlotte Pottle, Wife,
Married
[probably in 1845 to Edward – she may have been married before of course], age 39(!), schoolmistress,
Dorset, Gillingham: Ann Ware, Daughter, 10, scholar, Dorset, West Moors. Given the surname of
the 'daughter' can we assume that this is NOT Edward's daughter? From free BMD, possible
marriage
date was either July or September 1845 in Wimborne –
Charlotte
(b.1812 in Gillingham, Dorset) died in May 1886 (17th), aged 74; Edward Pottle was
born in 1788
& died in 1876.]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Hail (Farmer/25 acres) .. 4
.. Edge (not sure if WM, but
part of list/Smith) .. 10
*** children 4/14=04
.. Bartlett (Railway Gate
Keeper) .. 4
.. Jacobs (Labourer) .. 4
.. Hail (Labourer) .. 4
*** children 4/14=01
.. Cripps ( Farmer/100 acres) ..
9
*** children 4/14=05 (plus 2 and 3 yo listed as
'daily at school')
.. Chadwin (Farmer/45 acres) ..
4
{ total
.. 78 109 people / 17 West Moors6 (21 including 3LX)households: number of children
4/14 (roughly school-age) = 26 }
[1851 Hunt and Co's directory / ex
www.historicaldirectories.org]
= Isaac Fryer, Solicitor, Kinson
= William Rolles Fryer esq., Manor House, Lytchett
Minster
= Ship owners: Fryer, Gosse and Pack (Quay)
= John Fryer esq., West Borough, Wimborne.
= W.H. Fryer, West of England Ins. Agents
= William Henry Fryer, West Borough, Solicitors.
[1855 Post Office / Kelly's]
= Ethelbert Elliott, Farmer, Manor Farm (!!!!)
= Mrs Elizabeth Cripps, Farmer, West Moors
[1861
Census/7th-8th April; Easter Sunday this year was March 31st]
.. Woolslope Farm .. Martin (Farmer/34 acres) .. 47
.. Helliers Farm (?Hellies?) .. Gubbins (Ag. Lab &
Carter) .. 6
*** children 4/14=03
.. ????? .. Ballom (Dairyman – Helliers
Farm???) .. 1
..
????? .. Tiller
(Railways plate layer) .. 5
[NB: in 1871 census, this family listed as at " 1, Railway Cottages "; in 1871, No.s
2,3 & 4 Railway Cottages are also listed, but presumably these were built
during/after 1866 [ station building ], so I suggest that at this time, this
family was at a slightly different location – where-ever it was: presumably
close to the railway/crossing point.]
*** children 4/14=02
..
????? .. Wilcox,
John/age 52 (Railway Gateman with dressmaker daughter) .. 7
*** children 4/14=01
[
Elizabeth/wife, age 52, David/son, age 25, Jane/daughter, age 23, Edgar/son,
age 21, George J/son, age 15, John/son, age 12 ]
[NB: as we have a separate listing for the Lodge
(below), this family must have lived immediately adjacent, but not IN the
lodge].
.. Railway Lodge (presumably the Crossing
House/No.19where?) .. Bartlett
(Railway Gatekeeper) .. 10
*** children 4/14=06 (plus another daughter listed
as a scholar)
..
????? .. Ferrett
(Carpenter, also
two sons Ag. Lab) .. 8
[NB: listed as "1, Station Road" in the
1871 census, so presumably not far from the Crossing House/north of the railway
on the 'moorland' side (cheaper land)]
*** children 4/14=04
..
????? .. Woolford
(Farmer/30 acres) .. 7
[NB: listed as "6, Station Road" in the
1871 census, so perhaps further north [north of the 'Railway Inn' on corner of
modern-day Ashurst Road], and on the 'fertile'/western side of the road, south
of Gulliver's/Hatchard's Farm???]
[NB: Mary Ann (daughter/24), Henry (son/20) &
John (son/15) all appear in our story later).
.. School & PO .. Pottle (Chelsea Pens/Letter
carrier) .. 1
[NB: this 'school' was probably built in 1843 with
an associated school-chapel; it was probably (but not certainly –
there are references to something near the site of the present-day community
hall) on the
eastern side of the track (later Station Road), slightly north of current
church/school complex; in the next census/1871/ it is listed as "7,
Station Road". (I have been sent a transcript of other data
which mentions that the 'School and Post Office' had an address of "The
Common, West Parley", which suggests that, assuming we're talking about
the same place (almost certain) that this school IS on the 'Common' side of the
trackway at this date).
: there is no mention in this (1861) census of a
school-mistress, yet Mr. Pottle had 'acquired' a wife by 1871, who is listed as 'school
mistress': in 1871, Edward/Edwin Pottle is 83, and his wife, Charlotte, is 59!! Charlotte was in fact
in 1861 staying at West Parley Rectory; why we don't know – but as she was still listed
as a school mistress, she would have had to return to West Moors for school on
Monday, assuming that school resumed (after a break for Easter perhaps) then.
NB that close-by, her daughter (Ann Frampton) is running the village grocery – married to George
(below)!
.. Grocers Shop .. George.
Frampton (Ag Lab/Grocer) .. 4
[NB: this is listed as "8, Station Road"
in the 1871 census – but it's difficult to tell whether it was on the 'heath'
or 'farmland' side of the track; Ann Frampton, wife, age 25, is Ann Ware
of 10 years ago: she & George married June 22nd, 1854 West
Parley.]
*** children 4/14=01
.. Head's Farm .. Warwick (Ag.Lab) .. 1
.. Head's Farm Cottage .. Dolman (Ag.Lab) .. 6
[NB: difficult to pick these out; there is no
'acreage' shown in the census, which suggests that the 'Farm' was once a
working area of land, but perhaps now subsumed into an adjacent farm – e.g., Hatchard's or
Woolford?
The fact that the occupants are listed as 'Agricultural labourers' and that
both 'Heads' of household are over 30, then perhaps this tells of a failure at
some stage?]
*** children 4/14=02
.. Hatchard's Farm .. Hatchard (Farmer/50 acres) ..
5
[NB: I believe this to be the current (and former)
Gulliver's Farm.]
*** children 4/14=01
============================================
.. Near Three Legged Cross .. Stainer (Ag.Lab) .. 1
.. Near Three Legged Cross .. Bailey (Ag.Lab) .. 2
.. Near Three Legged Cross .. Read (Chelsea Pensioner) .. 3
*** children 4/14=01
.. Near Three Legged Cross .. Barrett (Proprietor of Houses includes bricklayer
son) .. 5
[NB: all these 'Near Three Legged Cross' entries
must be taken at face value and logically would be clustered around the
crossing? However, an alternative reasoning is that they are nearer the
modern-day Fuel Depot etc., but too far north of the 'village' to be adjudged
part of the that community; the complication is that in the 1871 census some
of these are listed as 'North Common'; overall, I think they are up by the modern-day road
junction.]
*** children 4/14=02
============================================
.. Near Holt Common .. Lockyer
(Ag.Lab) .. 2
.. Near Holt Common .. Lockyer
(Farmer/35 acres) .. 8
*** children 4/14=04
[ based on the book " West Moors for Ferndown
/ Deryck Wiseman – this may be the farm (as was) that is labelled on some maps as
'Newmans Farm South']
.. Near Holt Common .. Jacobs
(Railway Labourer) .. 3
[NB: this may be at the southern end of Newman's
Lane/where the footpath-track heads east to West Moors – not sure though.]
.. Near Holt Common .. Stone
(Mole Catcher/Farmer 4 ac, includes ag.labourers.) .. 3
[NB: I'm guessing these are strung out, perhaps
north-to-south, along the unmade part of Newman's Lane; it would fit the
description as being 'near Holt Common'.]
============================================
..
????? .. Jacobs
(Ag. Lab) .. 4
..
????? .. Jacobs
(Ag. Lab) .. 3
*** children 4/14=01
[NB: these are perhaps between the area of
Hatchard's Copse and Ameysford.]
============================================
.. Dolmans Farm .. Dolman (Farmer/56 acres includes a carter)
.. 5
{ total
.. 104 // 24 'households': number of children
4/14 (roughly school-age) = 2880 /
only WM village, ignoring 'nr Holt Common' etc.}
[1862 / occupations of father by baptismal
declarations/OPC database]
++ Carpenter (Fred Ferrett)
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
++ Labourer (Charles Stainer)
++ Labourer (Adam Revel)
++ Labourer (Edwin Trickett)
[1863 / occupations of father by baptismal
declarations]
++ Labourer (Adam Revel)
++ Labourer (Robert Haywood)
[1864 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (Charles Stainer)
++ Carpenter (Frederick Ferrett)
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
++ Labourer (George Frampton)
[1865 / -- do --]
++ Farmer (Henry Gould)
++ Carpenter (Frederick Ferrett)
[1866 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (John Joy/3 Legged Cross)
++ Railway Gateman (Thomas Larcombe): this was a son [Samuel] – did he die?
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
++ Labourer (George Frampton)
[1867 / -- do --]
++ Farmer (Henry Gould)
++ Labourer (Charles Stainer)
++ Labourer (William Serjeant)
[1868 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (George Dolman)
++ Gateman L and SW Railway (Thomas Larcombe)
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
[1869 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (George Frampton)
[1870 / -- do --]
++ Dealer (Charles Stainer; note change from
Labourer!)
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
++ Labourer (Thomas Larcombe!! if the same one –
OFF the railway)
++ Labourer (George Frampton)
++ Labourer (William Stickland)
[1871 / --
do --]
++ Labourer (George Marks)
++ Labourer (James Stone)
++ Labourer (Henry Gould; note change from
'Farmer'!)
[1872 / -- do --]
++ Shopkeeper (William Stickland)
++ Market Gardener (Charles Staines – think this is
Stainer)
++ Farmer (Henry Joseph Adams)
++ Labourer (Job Hames)
[1873 / -- do --]
++ NONE
[1874 / -- do --]
++ Railwayman (Mark Jacobs – note change from
Labourer;
possibly he was on the railways before?)
++ Labourer (Henry Sherring)
++ Signalman (Thomas Larcombe – back on railway – or did he
simply transfer to the plate-laying gang?): this child was Florence Augusta,
who went on to be first a coal dealer, then the village postmistress q.v.)
[1875 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (James Dolman)
++ Station Master(!) (John Samuel Lever – with his
wife, Edith)
++ Labourer (David Wilcox – 3 Legged Cross)
++ Railway Porter (John Wilcox / listed as from
Poole?!)
++ Farmer (Thomas Head / West Moor Farm)
[1876 / -- do --]
++ Railway Signalman (John Woolford)
++ Railway Signalman (Thomas Larcombe – Carrie Louise)
++ Farmer (Henry Jacobs / Mannington)
++ Railway Porter (Henry Head – listed as from Andover
Junction)
[1877 / -- do --]
++ Labourer (Frank Trickett)
++ Farmer (Mark Lockyer)
++ Labourer (Mark Jacobs)
++ Railway Platelayer (David Wilcox – 3 Legged
Cross)
++ Railway Signalman (Thomas Larcombe)
++ Labourer (James Dolman)
[1878 / -- do
--]
++ Railway Signalman (John Woolford)
++ Farmer (Mark Lockyer)
++ Railway Porter (Henry Head – from Andover Junction, but
still here)
[1879 / -- do --]
++ Stonemason (Henry Cross)
++ Farmer (Thomas Head)
++ Farmer (Mark Lockyer)
++ Farmer (George Hatchard)
++ Labourer (Samuel Jacobs)
++ Labourer (George Trickett)
[1871
/ principal landowners; Mercer & Crocker's directory]
= Sir
Ivor B. Guest, Bart.
=
Frederick Fryer esq.,
= Sir
Edward H. Greathed K.C.B. [ Uddens House ],
= Earl
of Shaftesbury.
= Stephen Head, Farmer,
West Moors
= Henry Hellies, Farmer, West Moors
= George Woodford, Farmer, West Moors [ this may be Woolford
… see census below ]
( Chief
crops – wheat, barley, turnips )
[1871
Census/2nd-3rd April]
.. Near
Branch Road .. Gould
(Farmer of 10 acres) .. 7
[NB: I'm pretty sure this is 'Gould's Farm', which
would have been roughly where Sainsbury's & the area of housing/mobile homes is to the
north of Trickett's Cross. ]
.. Woolslop Farm .. Martin (Landowner/95 acres)
.. 4
[NB: the acreage has more than doubled in ten
years! Andrew Martin is shown as the 'landowner', but his sister, Isabella,
actually farms the land, and there is a son, Arthur, who is listed as a Farmer,
but who was
a student 10 years ago.]
.. 1 Station Rd .. Ferrett (Carpenter) .. 4
[NB: his wife died at sometime in the past 10
years, possibly in child-birth, as he had a large family. The youngest listed
in this census is 4 yo, and there are 8 other children accredited to the
union; this implies that his wife, Elizabeth, died during or after 1867. It's not clear whether
this family is at the same place as 1861 – there are no clues in the listing.]
.. 2 Station Rd .. Marks (Ag. Lab) .. 9
[NB: new (large/growing) family from Hampshire – he's
only 32 (wife 31) and they've got 7 children.]
.. 3 Station Rd/Hilliers Farm ..
Webb
.. 3
[ NB in
the Mercer & Crocker's directory, we have a 'Henry Hellies, Farmer' listed
– not sure how this all fits! . . . was
this 'West Moors Farm'???]
+++.. 4 Station Rd/Railway Gatehouse
.. Wilcox,
John (Railway Gateman/age 62) .. 3
[
Elizabeth/wife age 63, John/unmarried age 22 (railway gateman) ]
[NB: Presumably John Wilcox was the gateman
actually allotted to West Moors/No.19, but was John's son (also John), a
gateman here or elsewhere? Traffic would have increased with the opening of the
S&DJcR, and the day would have been longer than in 1847: or was John (jnr)
working somewhere else?
.. 1 Railway Cottages .. Tiller (Platelayer) .. 7
.. 2 Railway Cottages .. Larcombe (Signalman) .. 3
[NB: with a 'Gateman' and 'Pointman' lodging; he is listed as
'widower' at this time, but has married Mary A. Woolford by 1881, and I deduce
that this occurs in March(ish) 1872.]
.. 3 Railway Cottages .. Stone (Ag. Lab) .. 7
.. 4 Railway Cottages(part)
.. Blake
(Widow/Retd Dom
Servant) .. 1
.. 4 Railway Cottages(part)
.. Flippent
(Ag. Lab) .. 5
[NB: It's not clear where the 'Railway Cottages'
were, but from later writings in the 20th
century, there were apparently terraced properties alongside the old location of the
signal box (immediately
opposite the
junction), roughly where the Arnold Road/Close developments are at the end of Mary
Lane. Also interesting that
not all occupants were associated with the railway – so presumably not railway
property?
I've seen a reference that these cottages were on land where stables were
constructed during the 1846/47 construction of the railway.]
.. 5 Station Road/Railway Inn ..
Spicer
(Blacksmith/Innkeeper) .. 5
[NB: I have to assume at this early stage that this
is the property, later demolished, on the corner of Ashurst Road shown on maps
up to the latter part of the 19th century. It may have been
originally a blacksmith's, with additions to accommodate occasional
overnighters!]
.. 6 Station Road .. (George?) Woolford (Farmer 50
acres) .. 4
[NB: this farmer has increased his declared acreage
from 30 to 50!
His family becomes a major part of the story of the growth of the
railway-centred village of West Moors during the latter third of the century.]
.. 7 Station Road/Schoolhouse ..
Pottle
(Chelsea Pen.) .. 2
[NB: this is not
the later school house / school; note that Edward/Edwin has his wife back with
him, Charlotte, but not the 'daughter' listed in the 1851 census – she
would be, if alive, now be 30 years old.][ Edward Pottle died summer 1876, age 88. By the
following census return (1891) Charlotte is listed as a 'pauper'. A sad end
after the years she had devoted to the local children.]
.. 8 Station Road/Gen. Shop .. (Frampton /(Grocer) .. 8
[NB: Anne Frampton is the daughter of Charlotte
Pottle – living nearby (or next-door/attached? Not clear.]
.. Heads Farm .. Stephen Head (Farmer/140
acres) .. 7
[NB: there appears to be no link between the
occupants of the previous 'Heads Farm' listing 10 years ago and this one; and
in 1861, no 'acreage' was assigned – whereas we have a sizeable farm now – the largest in the
'West Moors' list! Given that there is a 'barn' (see under), we must
assume this is 'Gulliver's Farm', must we not?]
.. Heads Farm (Barn) .. Light (Labourer/Sparmaker) ..
1
.. Egypt 1 .. Lamb (Tinman) .. 3
.. Egypt 2 .. Dugdale (Kept by Parish) .. 6
[ Egypt
lies on the east side of the 'waste' that now sites the Fuel Depot; I've heard that
Gypsies were at one time referred to as 'Egyptians' because of their swarthy
appearance: it suggests that this area was commonly occupied by gypsies.]
.. North Common 1 .. Barrett (Bricklayer's widow)
.. 4
.. North Common 2 .. Shearing (Broom Maker) .. 4
.. North Common 3 .. Barrett (Bricklayer) .. 7
[NB: presumably some family link with NC1/Barrett/above.]
.. North Common 4 .. Revel (Gen.Dealer/Provisions)
.. 8
[NB: This is possibly near/on 'Revel's Crossing' on
the S&DJcR, not far from Three-Legged Cross]
.. North Common 5 .. Stainer (Ag. Lab) .. 8
.. Hatchards Farm .. Hatchard (Farmer/50 acres) ..
4
[NB: I've assumed in the past that this is
Gulliver's Farm, but I'm not so sure now! I wonder if this is Sturt's Farm?]
.. West Common 1 .. Frampton (Ag. Lab) .. 3
.. West Common 2 .. Lockyer (Farmer/33 acres) ..
10
[NB: somewhere here Sturt's or Newman's Farm must come … is
this it?
Newman's Farm was technically NOT in West Parley parish – Gussage All Saints I
believe.]
.. West Common 3 .. Jacobs (Railway Labourer) ..
8
.. West Common 4 .. Stone (Farmer/Dairyman) .. 4
.. West Common 5 .. Jacobs (Ag. Lab) .. 5
[NB: I think these are alongside the Common running
down what is now Newman's Lane as it heads south]
.. Dolmans Farm .. Bessant (Ag.Lab) .. 4
[NB: Dolman's Farm is shown as having 56 acres when
James Dolman farmed in 1861 .. there is no acreage shown this time around.]
[NB: the railway crossing at Dolman's Farm is NOT
in West Parley parish … I believe it was in Hampreston parish]
{ total
.. 158 // 31
'households' }
[1880 Kelly's directory]
= Henry Fenton, Station Master, West Moors
= George Woolford (not now Woodford), Farmer, West
Moors
= Henry Adams, Farmer, West Moors
= Robert Cutler, Farmer, West Moors
= George Hatchard, Farmer, West Moors
= Henry Head, Farmer, West Moors
= James Spicer, Railway Inn
[1881
Census/3rd-4th April]
.. ????? (possibly Trickett's Cross?) .. George Trickett .. (Nursery Labourer) .. 9
[ NB: working in Stewarts Nursery? ]
.. ????? (near Stewarts?) .. Job Hames .. (Nursery Labourer)
.. 6
[ NB: working in Stewarts Nursery? ]
.. ????? .. Jessie King
.. (Market Gardener) .. 4
[ NB: this may be nowhere near West Moors so be wary.]
.. ????? .. Samuel Andrews
.. (Nursery Labourer) .. 7
.. (?Goulds Farm?) .. Henry Gould .. (Farmer) .. 5
.. ????? .. Samuel Jacobs
.. (Labourer on Estate) .. 11
[ NB: assumed to be in/near West Moors because the
youngest child/1 year old, is listed as being born in West Moors.]
.. (?West Common 4 in previous census/here 'Farm
House') .. James Stone
.. (Farmer/last
time noted as Farmer/Dairyman) .. 4
.. (?West Common 3 in previous census) .. Mark Jacobs .. (Platelayer on
Railway/last time noted as Railway Labourer) .. 6
.. (?Farm House?/possibly West Common 2
from previous census) .. Mark Lockyer
(probably son of the Mark Lockyer listed at this point in 1871 census) ..
(Farmer/350acres!!!) .. 7
.. (?West Common 1 in previous census) .. George Frampton (remarried since
previous) .. (General
Labourer) .. 7
.. (Farm House/possibly Gulliver's Farm?) .. Thomas Lockyer .. (Working Bailiff)
.. 4
[NB: the 'Grand father' listed in this household is
listed as a retired farmer, and the age matches the William Hatchard in the
last census:
did they sell off their acreage to Frampton above?]
.. (Farm House/?North Common 5 from previous
census/3LeggedX) .. Charles Stainer
.. (Farmer/Dealer) .. 9
.. (Farm House/?North Common 4 from previous
census/3LeggedX) .. Adam Revel
.. (Potatoe Merchant) .. 10
.. (Gate House/?either Newman's Lane or Revel's
Crossing//I
go for latter)
.. James Davis
.. (Gateman on Railway) .. 2
[NB: in 1891 census/age then 67]
.. ?????? .. James Steele
.. (General labourer) .. 3
[NB: as his youngest child was only 1, and this
latter was born at 'Three Cross', I guess that we're at/near Three Legged
Cross.]
.. (Farm House?) .. William Gribble .. (Temperance
Missionary) .. 7
[NB: from the listing and the age of the youngest,
I guess they've recently moved from Devon … though where the 'Farm House' is is
not clear.]
.. ?????? .. John Lockyer
.. (General Labourer) .. 8
.. ?????? .. Fred A Dibben
.. (Dealer) .. 5
.. (Gate House/probably Newman's Lane Xg) .. Hannah
Jennings
.. (Gatemans Wife/but in practice perhaps THE gateman?) .. 3
.. (Farm House) .. Henry Head
.. (Farmer/70 acres) .. 4
[NB: this appears to be the son of the 'Head'
listed in the 1871 census .. but with less acreage: did they divide the farm
and sell some off?; see also immediately below]
.. (Farm House) .. Robert Cutler .. (Farmer/40 acres)
.. 6
.. (Railway Inn PH) .. James Spicer .. (Licensed Victiualler) .. 2
[NB: now dropped the 'blacksmith' from previous
census.]
+++..
?????? .. George Wilcox, George
(age 35) .. Railway Porter .. 5
[NB: in next census, he's a platelayer – this is
the son of John Wilcox on the 1861 census: based on 'West Moors for Ferndown', this MAY be
somewhere in what is now Ashurst Road, but wasn't laid out like it is now …
more a cob cottage at the end of a track from Station Road to the moors.]
[
Elizabeth/wife, Bertie/son, Warnley/son, Jesse/son ]
.. ?????? .. Charlotte Porte
.. (Pauper) .. 1 [this is almost
certainly Charlotte POTTLE
– as the ages and birth-places fit perfectly; a sad end for Charlotte]
[ I now have the Death Certificate for Charlotte:
Died 17th
May, 1886, West Moors, West Parley, aged 74, Widow of Edward Pottle, Chelsea
Penshioner(sic); Diseased Heart, Albuminuria – certified by S.G. Parkinson, MRCS, registered by Anne
Frampton, daughter, 'present at death', West Moors, West Parley, registered 18th May, 1886. The registration is
listed as in the sub-district of Witchampton, which is some 5 miles NNW of
Wimborne – why the death is registered there, when the DC lists West Moors I'm
not sure: is
it because 'Witchampton' is the name of the entire registration sub-district?]
.. ?????? .. George Stainer
.. (Agricultural Labourer) .. 5
.. (2 Railway Cottages/??????) .. Thomas Larcombe .. (Railway Signalman) .. 5
[NB: Widower 10 years ago .. obviously re-married]
.. (1 Railway Cottages/??????) .. John Tiller .. (Gateman [Ptsmon])
.. 3
[NB: Tiller was a platelayer in No 1 Railway
Cottages last time, so I've assumed that he is in the same house – might not be so.]
.. ?????? .. Elizabeth Woolford
.. (Annuitant) .. 2
[NB: this might be a dwelling immediately adjacent
to the Crossing Lodge, given the surname etc; widow of George Woolford who was
in 1871 at 6 Station Road.]
.. ?????? .. John Woolford
.. (Railway Signalman) .. 6
[NB: in one of the Railway Cottages, but can't see
which one: John Woolford (married to Mary Hatchard), eventually had 10 children
– not all surviving – but
several went on to work on the railway.]
.. (Station House) .. Henry Fenton
.. (Station Agent) .. 7
[NB: looking at the ages and places of birth of his
several children, I judge that Henry Fenton took on the job of 'Station Master'
between 1875 & 1879; which begs the question, was there someone else
before-hand? Nothing listed in the 1871 list: perhaps there wasn't
enough work to justify? By 1885, according to Kelly's directory, the
Station Master was James Hallett; subsequent research reveals a tragic sequence
of events for Mr. Fenton. He was originally from Putney (then in Surrey),
presumably joining the LSWR at Nine Elms from school. Judging by the birth
locations for his children, he was at various times living in Lambeth, then
Weymouth (several years), before coming to West Moors – presumably on promotion. He had had a son born
in West Moors two years previously (1879), and the previous child born in Weymouth was 6, so
I deduce he/family moved here between 1875 & 1879: his wife (Mary Emma)
died in July 1880 at the age of 38, then Henry himself died (cause unknown) in December 1882 at
the age of 53,
leaving six children orphaned – the oldest 15, the youngest 3. ]
.. (Gate House/Station Road) .. Elizabeth Wilcox, Elizabeth
(widow, age 75) .. (Annuitant) .. 1
[NB: Elizabeth was the widow of John, who was the
gateman in residence in 1871, so presumably she's been allowed to remain in
residence!]
.. (Farm House / Perhaps West Moors Farm given its place in the
list?) .. William Eldon .. (Farmer) .. 2
.. ?????? .. Samuel Randell
.. (Agricultural Labourer) .. 8
.. ?????? .. Frances Trickett
.. (Nursery Labourer) .. 5
.. ?????? .. John Jacobs
.. (Agricultural Labourer) .. 8
[NB: the children are all listed as being born at
'Mannington', not far away – is this where they are now?]
.. ?????? .. Edward Hayter
.. (General Labourer) .. 5
.. (Farm House/?) .. William E Sloper .. (Farmer/100 acres)
.. 4
[NB: not sure where this farm is, but it's a big
one!]
.. (Farm House/?) .. James Cutler .. (Farmer/60 acres)
.. 8
.. (Grocers Shop/8 Station Road?) .. George Frampton .. (Grocer) .. 6
[NB: if following the pattern of the previous
census, we're somewhere near the modern-day church/community hall.]
.. (School House) .. Arthur Blandford ..
(Unemployed/there for his wife, Eliza, the School-mistress!) .. 3
[NB: this is almost certainly nothing to do with
the later 'school house' on the opposite side of the road; probably a building
close to the current Memorial Hall.]
.. (Farm House/Gulliver's Farm?) .. George Hatchard .. (Farmer/110
acres) .. 9
[NB: not sure this is Gulliver's Farm .. very large
and could be in the right place: perhaps two farms merged? Not the same
Hatchard as in 1871.]
.. ?????? .. Charles Best
.. (General Labourer) .. 1
{ total .. 223 // 42 'households' & at least 4
empty or being built }
.. Henry
Fenton (Station Master)
.. By
1885/Kelly's directory – James Hallett (Station Master)
.. Railway Inn .. James
Spicer
..
Farmer .. Henry Adams
..
Farmer .. Robert Cutler
..
Farmer .. George Hatchard
..
Farmer .. Henry Head
..
Farmer .. Charles Eldon
..
Farmer .. Robert George Horder
..
Farmer .. James Stone
.. Farmer .. James
Wilcox
[1885 Kelly's directory]
= National School (mixed), built 1859 with resident
mistress: Miss Eliza Matilda Blandford
= Railway station: Jas. Hallett, Station Master
= Railway Inn: James Spicer
.. Farmer .. Henry Adams
.. Farmer .. Robert Cutler
.. Farmer .. George Hatchard
.. Farmer .. Henry Head
.. Farmer .. Charles Eldon
.. Farmer .. Robert George Horder
.. Farmer .. James Stone
.. Farmer .. James Wilcox
[1890 Kelly's directory]
= James Hallett, Station Master
= James Bailey, Railway Inn (not now Spicer, but
still the original Inn?)
.. Farmer .. Thomas Barnes
.. Farmer .. William Cox
.. Farmer .. George Hatchard
.. Farmer .. William Hatchard
.. Farmer .. James Stone
.. Farmer .. James Wilcox
[1891
Census/5th-6th April]
..
Gundry's Farm .. Gale
.. (Farmer) .. 2
[NB: probably near/at Three Legged Cross to judge
by order of entries.]
..
Egypt .. (unoccupied)
..
Three Cross .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Sims .. (General Labourer) .. 2
.. Gate
House/prob. Revel's Crossing .. James Davis .. (Railway Gatekeeper) .. 2
[NB: was in 1881 census .. now aged 67, with his
grand-daughter living with him listed as 'housekeeper'; what happened to her I
wonder?]
..
Three Cross Farm .. Revel .. (General Dealer) .. 6
[NB: Previously listed as 'North Common 4']
..
??????? .. Stainer .. (Farmer) .. 6
..
Hatchard's Farm (was/is Gulliver's Fm) .. Joy .. (Farmer) .. 7
[NB: not so sure this is 'Gulliver's Fm', as it's
out of order where we now know the farm to be … ought to be on Three Legged
Cross Rd.]
..
??????? .. Dibben .. (General Dealer) .. 6
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
Railway Gatehouse (prob. Newman's Lane) .. Hannah Jennings .. 2
..
??????? .. Read .. (Market Gardener) .. 5
..
??????? .. William
Bartlett .. (Farmer/Market Gardener) .. 8
..
??????? .. Walter Bartlett
.. (Shop Dealer) .. 5
..
??????? .. William
Hatchard .. (Farmer) .. 3
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Jeans .. (Market Gardener) .. 5
..
??????? .. John Jacobs
.. (Railway Platelayer) .. 5
..
??????? .. Jacobs .. (Platelayer) .. 5
..
??????? .. John Lockyer
.. (Farmer) .. 1
..
??????? .. Jacobs .. (Woodman) .. 8
..
Dolman's Farm .. Cutler .. (Farmer) .. 6
..
??????? .. George Frampton
.. (Grocer/Market Gardener) .. 3
..
School House .. Nickels .. (School Mistress) .. 2
..
??????? .. James Stone
.. (Farmer) .. 8
[NB: must have been a substantial farm as he
used/employed 2 Farm Labourers as well as his son.]
..
Railway Inn .. James
Bailey .. (Bricklayer) .. 7
[NB: presumably his wife ran the Inn?]
..
??????? .. Stainer .. (General Labourer) .. 3
..
??????? .. George Wilcox
.. (Platelayer) .. 9
[ see comments under 1881 census above ]
..
??????? .. George Stone
.. (Market Gardener) .. 3
.. (Rly
Trce)??????? .. Thomas
Lancombe Larcombe ..
(Signalman) .. 5
[NB: must be in the railway cottages, as those
under – the
eldest daughter, Florence would go on to run a coal merchants, then the local
post office!]
.. (Rly
Trce)??????? .. Tiller .. (Rtd Porter/Signalman) .. 2
.. (Rly
Trce)??????? .. John
Woolford .. (Railway Signalman) .. 10
..
Station House .. James
Hallett .. (Station Master) .. 3
..
??????? .. O'Neill .. (Railway Porter) .. 10
..
??????? .. Ponting .. (Dairy Woman) .. 4
..
(W.Moors Fm)??????? .. Cox .. (Farmer) .. 3
..
??????? .. Frank Trickett
.. (Farm Labourer) .. 8
..
??????? .. Barnes .. (Farmer) .. 4
[NB: might be Woolslope Farm??]
..
??????? .. ?????? .. (?????) .. 5
..
??????? .. James .. (Farm Labourer) .. 3
..
??????? .. Steel .. (Broom Maker) .. 6
..
??????? .. Allison .. (Market Gardener) .. 6
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Ricketts .. (Farmer) .. 1
..
??????? .. Keats .. (Street Paver) .. 5
..
??????? .. Hyde .. (Upholsterer & French Polisher) .. 2
..
??????? .. Rolles .. (Farmer) .. 5
..
(tents at West Moors) .. Ayres .. 4
{
population: 214205/~5047 dwellings, but 5 unoccupied
& 4 in tents on the moor. Also, I suspect the parish boundary may have
changed. }
[1895
Kellys]
..
Railway Inn .. James Bailey
.. Shop
(listed at 1890 near school etc.)?? .. George Frampton
..
Station .. James Hallett/Station Master
.. Farm
.. George Hatchard
.. Farm
.. William Hatchard
..
Florist .. Charles Pay [ I suspect this is a bit more than just selling
flowers! ]
..
Woolslope Fm .. Frederick W. Roe
.. Farm
.. Richard O. Strange
.. Farm
.. Henry Woolford
[1898]
(
'Gentlemen' )
.. The
Cottage .. Eustace John Eastman
.. Ivy
Cottage .. John George Ford
..
(Rectory?) .. Rev. William Frederick Cecil Gurney MA
..
????? .. William Hyde
..
Market Gardener .. John Allinson
..
Market Gardener .. William Allinson
..
Railway Inn & Coal dealer .. James Bailey
..
Higgler .. Walter Bartlett [ a 'Higgler' is a dealer in a small way in
'animal products', i.e., poultry, eggs, dairy, meat in small amounts etc., and perhaps
trading animal feed in return.]
..
Higgler .. Walter Bartlett jnr
..
Farmer .. Charles Cutler
..
Higgler .. Frederick Dibben
..
Grocer .. George Frampton
.. Coal
dealer .. Mrs Clara Grant
..
Farmer .. George Hatchard
..
Farmer .. William Hatchard
..
Market Gardener .. Richard Jeans
..
Farmer .. Joseph Joy
.. Coal
merchant/railway station .. Florence Augusta Larcombe (Miss)
[NB: in 1903, Florence Larcombe is listed as being the post-mistress
in Moorlands Road; apparently she became Mrs Tilsed (marriage to Hedley
Bertie Tilsed at Wimborne in 1914) .. shades of 'Lark Rise' & Dorcas Lane!]
..
Farmer .. John Lockyer
..
Farmer .. Mark Lockyer
[ one of these is what is listed as 'Newmans Farm
South' on some maps, and it's possible that one is at 'Newmans Farm' ]
..
Florist/Market-Gardener .. Charles Pay
..
Commission Agent .. Newton Peatling
..
Reading room .. Charles Pay (secretary)
..
Woolslope Farm .. Frederick W. Roe
..
Laundress .. Florence Skinner (Mrs)
..
Farmer .. Henry Woolford
[1903 Kelly's Directory]
= Principal Landowners: (West Parley)
.. Lady Greathed (presumably Uddens)
.. Col Frederick William Fryer (???)
.. Earl of Shaftesbury
" Verwood is a parish – formed by Local
Government Board in 1894 "; at this date, West Parley lost the bits
around/near Three Cross to Verwood.
= Principal Landowners: (Verwood)
.. Earl of Normanton, of Somerley, Ringwood.
.. Sir Frederick (note extra k) W.R. Fryer
K.C.S.I.,
.. The Earl of Shaftesbury
.. W. R. Fryer esq., J.P., of the Manor House who
is Lord of the Manor of Verwood.
[ Chief crops: oats, barley & wheat ]
= Post Office (West Moors): Miss Florence Augusta
Larcombe, sub-postmistress. Letters from Wimborne arrive at 6.30 a.m., and 4.45
p.m. Saturdays only to callers; dispatched at 8.30 p.m. No Sunday post. Postal
Orders are issued and paid here. Ferndown (note single word) is the nearest
money order office & West Moors railway station the nearest telegraph
office.
.. Henry Martin, Station Master.
[Gentlemen]
= Rev. James Salter Barrett (curate)
= John Eustace Eastman, The Cottage
= George John Ford, Ivy Cottage
= William Hyde
= Henry Woolford
[Commercial]
.. John Allinson (Market Gardener)
.. (Mrs) Mary Ann Bailey, Railway Inn and coal
dealer (no James .. deceased?)
.. Walter Bartlett (Higgler)
.. George Bradford (Farmer, Woolslope Farm)
.. George Cosser (Grocer, tea dealer and provisions
merchant, corn, flour and mealman, boot, shoe and hardware dealer).
.. Charles Cutler (Farmer)
.. Frederick Dibben (Higgler)
.. William Dunn (Tailor)
.. George Galton (Farmer)
.. George Hatchard (Farmer)
.. William Hatchard (Farmer)
.. Richard Jeans (Market Gardener)
.. Joseph Joy (Farmer)
.. (Miss) Florence Augusta Larcombe, Coal merchant,
Railway Station post office (at the station??)
.. John Lockyer (Farmer)
.. George Parker (Farm Bailiff to Capt. Chisholm)
.. Charles Pay (Florist and Market Gardener)
.. Peatling Brothers (Engineers) .. near the
station??
.. Reading room … Charles Pay, secretary.
.. George Spicer (Market Gardener)
[1911]
(Census enumerator's summary)
.. Three Cross West Moors .. Private House .. John Lockyer .. 1M,3F,T=4
.. Gundrys Farm Three Cross .. –do- .. Mr Joy .. 3M,2F,T=5
.. West Moors Wimborne .. –do- .. Mr Brown .. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Pike(?)
..2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Christopher
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Potter
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. Three Cross Wimborne .. British School .. 1
building, not used as dwelling
.. West Moors Wimborne .. Private House .. Mr Bailey .. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Bartlett
.. 2M,2F,T=4
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Trickett
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mrs(Miss?) Morgan
.. 4M,4F,T=8
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Read
.. 5M,2F,T=7
.. Woodside Rd West Moors .. –do- .. Mr Lamb .. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Wilke(?)
.. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited (new
build?)
.. –do- .. –do- .. Dr Hadden .. 2M,5F,T=7
[ First resident doctor?? ]
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Ell(?)
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Miss(Mrs?) Wyatt .. 2F,T=2 (there is a Mrs Wyatt
in the Avenue in the 1930s)
.. Station Road West Moors .. –do- .. Miss(Mrs?) Dunn .. 3F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. –do- .. Miss George(?)
.. 1M,4F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Barrett
.. 1M,3F,T=4
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mrs Eldenshaw(Eldershaw?)
.. 2F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Compton
.. 1M,T=1
.. West Moors Farm Wimborne .. Private House .. Mr Tuck .. 2M,1F,T=3
.. West Moors Wimborne .. –do- .. Mr Woolford .. 3M,2F,T=5
.. –do- .. Railway Station .. Mr Denness .. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. Private House .. Mr Wilkins .. 2M,2F,T=4
.. –do- .. Railway Hotel .. Mr Bailey .. 3M,4F,T=7
.. –do- .. Private House .. Mr Stickland .. 3M,3F,T=6
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Thorne(?)
.. 3M,1F,T=4
.. –do- .. –do- .. Rev. Barrett
.. 2M,5F,T=7
.. –do- .. School .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. Schoolhouse .. Mr Pepperell .. 1M,4F,T=5
.. –do- .. St Mary's Church .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. Private House .. Mrs(Miss?) Robertson .. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Dunn(?)
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. Gullivers Farm West Moors .. Private House(!) ..
Mr Hatchard
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. West Moors Wimborne Dolmans Farm .. Private
House(!) .. Mr Cutler
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. West Moors Wimborne .. –do- .. Mr Jacobs .. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Warrick(?)
.. 3M,2F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Lockyer
.. 3M,7F,T=10
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. Sturts Farm West Moors .. Private House(!) .. Mr
Joy ..
2M,3F,T=5
.. Three Cross West Moors .. –do- .. Mr Stainer .. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Brown
.. 2M,6F,T=8
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Pearce
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. Revels Crossing West Moors .. Private House(!)
.. Mr Guy(?) .. 1M,1F,T=2
.. Three Cross West Moors .. –do- .. Mr C H Brown .. 1M,2F,T=3
.. West Moors Wimborne .. Private House .. Mrs(?) Whittle .. 2F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mrs Dibben(?)
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mrs Hunt
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Miss Pearson(?)
.. 2F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) ..
uninhabited/'building'
.. –do- .. –do- .. Miss Beer(?Been)
.. 1F,T=1
[from this point, the enumerator has '-do-' under
the 'Miss', but I suspect that this is a mistake and it should be 'Mr' which I
have so entered]
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Axxx(??)
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Holder(Holler?)
.. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Green
.. 3M,2F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Galton..
3M,3F,T=6
(is a farmer according to the 1903 Kelly's)
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited x2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Hunt
.. 4M,1F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Ricketts
.. 2M,1F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) .. uninhabited
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Galton
.. 1M,T=1
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Flippant
.. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Orman(?)
.. 1M,2F,T=3
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Wilcox
.. 5M,6F,T=11 (this may be at the end of (or a long way down) Ashurst Road & this may be George Wilcox of
earlier … not sure!)
.. –do- .. –do- .. Miss Trexxdxxy(??) .. 2F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. (blank) ..
uninhabited/'buildingx4'
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Walter
.. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Raynor(?)
.. 1M,1F,T=2
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Youngman
.. 2M,3F,T=5
.. –do- .. –do- .. Mr Jenkinson .. 1M,1F,T=2
Number of households with people in them = 86
Number of buildings
regarded as 'housing' (inhabited + uninhabited) = 94
Population on census
night = 334
[ 205 in 1891 ]
[1915]
(From Kelly's Directory]
In the entry under 'West Parley', West Moors gets a
much enhanced section … " a rapidly increasing district, 6 miles
north from the church (at West Parley), with a station on the Salisbury and
Dorset railway, now forms (for ecclesiastical purposes only) part of the parish
of Verwood, which see – Mrs. Oldfield (Uddens Estate), William Fryer and the
Earl of Shaftesbury K.P., K.C.V.O. are the principal landowners. (Why isn't
William Fryer given his full title – or is this a son of William Rolles Fryer?)
In the entry under 'Verwood': " is a parish … was formed in 1887
from Cranborne and West Parley; it includes Verwood, Three Cross or Three
Legged Cross and West Moors .. as a civil parish it only takes in Verwood and
Three Cross .. The Chapel of Ease of St. Mary the Virgin, at West Moors,
erected in 1897 at a cost of about £3,000, and consecrated in 1908, is a
building of stone in the Gothic style, consisting of apsidal chancel,
nave, vestries, south porch and a turret containing one bell: the chapel will
seat 80 persons. The Rev. Charles Arthur Frankland A.K.C.L. has been curate in
charge since 1912. West Moors is supplied with water and gas by the Bournemouth
Gas and Water Company … There is also a Congregational chapel at West
Moors, erected in 1906, and affording 150 sittings. The principal landowners
are the Earl of Normanton, Sir Frederick W.R. Fryer K.C.S.I the Earl of
Shaftesbury K.P., K.C.V.O, and H.C. Fryer esq. … Post, M.O., T. &
Telephone Call Office, West Moors. – Mrs. Florence Augusta Tilsed, sub-postmistress. Letters
from Wimborne arrive at 6.30 a.m. and 12.45 p.m.; dispatched at 11 a.m. &
8.30 p.m.; sundays arrive at 7.55 a.m. & dispatched at 2.55 p.m. Telegrams
are received at West Moors railway station on week days only. .. Wall letter
boxes …
Woodside road, West Moors, cleared at 7.15 p.m. week days only; Pinehurst road,
West Moors, cleared at 11.30 a.m. & 8.10 p.m. weekdays only. … Schools … Elementary
(mixed), West Moors, built in 1895-6, with residence for master, for 120 children;
Albert Lewis Pepperell, master. … Railway Stations .. West Moors, Frederick
Denness, station master.
1915: Trades/Professions:
.. Accountant - Eastman: The Cottage, Pinehurst Road
.. Bank - Lloyds Bank:
.. Builder - Bailey (James): Studland House, Avon Road.
(NB: this appears to be the son of the 'James Bailey' who ran
the Railway Hotel (formerly Inn) from the last decade of the 19th century – the family has obviously made a bob
or two! In
the Verwood marriage lists, the elder James is listed as 'deceased' by 1908.)
(probably built all along Avon Road initially)
.. Builder – Dibben: Colston House, Denewood Road.
.. Butcher – Bradford: Station Road.
.. Drapers – Green (Miss Emily): Station Road.
.. Farmer – Hatchard (George): ??
.. Farmer – Hatchard (William): ??
.. Farmer – Lockyer (John): ??
.. Farmer – Young (Hastings): ??
.. Florists – Pay (Charles): ??
.. Grocer/Tea Dealer – Stickland & Co: ??
.. Higglers – Bartlett (Walter): ??
.. Gardeners (Jobbing) – Galton (Sidney): ??
.. Market Gardeners – Allen (William): The Mount,
Moorlands Road.
(is this the one out at the extremity of the
road/railway?)
.. Market Gardeners – Jeans (Richard): ??
.. Market Gardeners – Pay (Charles): ??
.. Nurserymen/Seedsmen – Pritchard: Moorlands Road.
.. Nurserymen/Seedsmen – Walter: Ashurst Road.
.. Innkeeper – Bailey (Frank):Railway Inn
(presumably son of James?)
.. Reading/Newsrooms – Charles Pay/Secretary:
??/Iron Room?
.. Tailors – Dunn (William): ??
.. Timber merchants – Orman (James): Koh-I-noor.
[1901
Census/31st
March-1st April]
..
Gundry's Farm .. Gale .. (Farmer) .. 2
..
Egypt .. (unoccupied)
..
Three Cross .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Sims .. (General Labourer) .. 2
..
Gate House/prob. Revel's Crossing .. Davis .. (Railway Gatekeeper) .. 2
..
Three Cross Farm .. Revel .. (General Dealer) .. 6
..
??????? .. Stainer .. (Farmer) .. 6
..
Hatchard's Farm (was/is Gulliver's Fm) .. Joy .. (Farmer) .. 7
..
??????? .. Dibben .. (General Dealer) .. 6
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
Railway Gatehouse (prob. Newman's Lane) .. Jennings .. 2
..
??????? .. Read .. (Market Gardener) .. 5
..
??????? .. Bartlett .. (Farmer/Market Gardener) .. 8
..
??????? .. Bartlett .. (Shop Dealer) .. 5
..
??????? .. Hatchard .. (Farmer) .. 3
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Jeans .. (Market Gardener) .. 5
..
??????? .. Jacobs .. (Railway Platelayer) .. 5
..
??????? .. Jacobs .. (Platelayer) .. 5
..
??????? .. Lockyer .. (Farmer) .. 1
..
??????? .. Jacobs .. (Woodman) .. 8
..
Dolman's Farm .. Cutler .. (Farmer) .. 6
..
??????? .. Frampton .. (Grocer/Market Gardener) .. 3
..
School House .. Nickels .. (School Mistress) .. 2
..
??????? .. Stone .. (Farmer) .. 8
..
Railway Inn .. Bailey .. (Bricklayer) .. 7
..
??????? .. Stainer .. (General Labourer) .. 3
..
??????? .. Wilcox .. (Platelayer) .. 9
..
??????? .. Stone .. (Market Gardener) .. 3
..
(Rly Trce)??????? .. Lancombe .. (Signalman) .. 5
..
(Rly Trce)??????? .. Tiller .. (Rtd Porter/Signalman) .. 2
..
(Rly Trce)??????? .. Woolford .. (Railway Signalman) .. 10
..
Station House .. Hallett .. (Station Master) .. 3
..
??????? .. O'Neill .. (Railway Porter) .. 10
..
??????? .. Ponting .. (Dairy Woman) .. 4
..
(W.Moors Fm)??????? .. Cox .. (Farmer) .. 3
..
??????? .. Trickett .. (Farm Labourer) .. 8
..
??????? .. Barnes .. (Farmer) .. 4
..
??????? .. ?????? .. (?????) .. 5
..
??????? .. James .. (Farm Labourer) .. 3
..
??????? .. Steel .. (Broom Maker) .. 6
..
??????? .. Allison .. (Market Gardener) .. 6
..
??????? .. (unoccupied)
..
??????? .. Ricketts .. (Farmer) .. 1
..
??????? .. Keats .. (Street Paver) .. 5
..
??????? .. Hyde .. (Upholsterer & French Polisher) .. 2
..
??????? .. Rolles .. (Farmer) .. 5
..
(tents at West Moors) .. Ayres .. 4
[
References:
Dorset
Wildlife, a natural history of Dorset (1990) .. Andrew Mahon .. Dorset Books.
Discover
Dorset: Heathlands (2003) .. Lesley Haskins .. The Dovecote Press.
Various directories and "The Heart of the
Village".
[ Railway timetables etc.]
LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY
On and after Monday, June 7th, 1847, the TRAINS are intended to RUN as follows:-
|
|
DOWN |
|
|
|
Class |
From Nine Elms at |
From Southampton at |
Arriving at Dorchester |
|
1st and 2nd |
|
7 45 a.m: |
10 50 a.m. |
|
1st, 2nd and 3rd |
7 30 a.m } |
|
|
|
1st and 2nd |
9 00 a.m.} |
12 35 p.m. |
3 40 p.m. |
|
1st and 2nd |
11 00 a.m. } |
|
|
|
1st and 2nd (Express) |
12 30 p.m. } |
2 50 p.m. |
5 45 p.m. (?) |
|
1st and 2nd |
3 0 p.m. |
*6 30 p.m. |
9 40 p.m. |
|
1st and 2nd (Mail) |
8 50 p.m. |
12 30 a.m. |
3 30 a.m. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UP |
|
|
|
Class |
From Dorchester |
From Southampton |
Arriving Nine Elms |
|
1st, 2nd, and 3rd |
7 15 a.m. |
11 0 a.m. |
1 50 p.m. |
|
1st, 2nd, and 3rd |