WHITTINGTON is a parish and compact and
well built village, pleasantly seated 3 miles south-east from Lichfield
Junction station on the London and North Western Railway, 4 north-west from
Tamworth, in the Lichfield division of the county, North Offlow hundred,
Lichfield and Brownhills petty sessional division, Lichfield union and
county court district, archdeaconry of Stafford and in the rural deanery and
diocese of Lichfield. The church of St Giles is a plain building of brick in
mixed styles, consisting of chancel, nave and an embattled western tower of
stone with a lofty spire, containing a clock and 3 bells: the church was
restored in 1881 at a cost of £1,000, and affords 250 sittings. The register
dates from the year 1575. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £248,
including 46 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of
Lichfield, and held since 1883 by the Rev. William Henry Kay M.A. of
Worcester College, Oxford: a new vicarage was built in 1886 from funds
supplied by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. There is a small
Congregational chapel. The general charities amount to £6 10s. yearly. The
barracks and depot of 38th and 64th regimental
districts (Lichfield) on the Heath, occupy a site of 40 acres, in a fine
position: the buildings comprise armoury, officers’ quarters, recreation
rooms and a chapel, a brick building in the Early English style: the
barracks are available for 2,400 men, exclusive of officers. A force of two
battalions of infantry is permanently quartered here, and new buildings have
been erected as quarters for married men and their families. The Heath,
consisting of 338 acres, on the south-east side of the village, and formerly
used as an open sheep walk, is now the property of the War department. The
Old Hall, the property and residence of Maj. Bassett Thorne Seckham D.S.O.,
J.P. is a large and ancient brick mansion, with stone mullioned windows,
added about the Elizabethan period: nearly all the rooms are wainscoted, and
some of the walls are loopholed for small arms: the front of the house is
covered with ivy. The grounds are extensive and well laid out. Broome
Leasoe, the property and residence of Charles Henry Inge esq. J.P. is
pleasantly standing in its own grounds, 1½ miles north-east from the
village. The Marquess of Anglesey is lord of the manor. The principal
landowners are Maj. B. T. Seckham. J.P, Theophilus Basil Percy Levett esq.
J.P.of Wychnor Park; Sir Robert Peel, bart. and Richard Archibald Dyott esq.
The soil is gravelly; subsoil, sand, rock and clay. The chief crops are
wheat, barley and turnips. Market gardening is extensively carried on. The
area is 2,921 acres of land, inclusive of 27 of water; rateable value
£11,834; and the population, including Huddlesford, in 1901 was 2,392,
inclusive of 1,521 in the barracks.
Huddlesford is a hamlet, 1 mile north from the
village, is in this parish.
Hurst is a hamlet, 1½ miles north-north-east,
situated close to the river Tame.
Tamhorn, 2 miles south-east, formerly
extra-parochial, is now a civil parish in the Lichfield union and belongs to
Sir Robert Peel, bart. The area is 757 acres; rateable value £1,948; the
population in 1891 was 21.
Willisford is 2 miles north, on the west bank
of the river Tame.
Post, M.O. & T.O., T.M.O.,E.D.,P.P.,S.B. &A. &
I.O. Whittington.--- Mrs Mary Amelia Elson, sub-postmistress. Letters arrive
by mail cart from Lichfield at 6.50 a.m. & 3.20 & 6 p.m. to callers; on
sunday at 3 a.m.; dispatched at 6.45 a.m. 11.45 a.m. & 7 p.m.; on sundays at
9.25 a.m.
Post, M.O. & T. O., T.M.O.,E.D.,P.P.,S.B. &A. &
I.O., Whittington Barracks – Mrs C. Katon, sub-postmistress. Letters
through Lichfield arrive at 7 a.m. & 2.40 & 5.40 p.m.; dispatch 8.20 a.m. &
12.15 & 7.20 p.m.
Wall Box, Huddlesford, cleared at 8.20 a.m. &
5.5 p.m.
Wall Box, Hademore, cleared at 7.15 a.m. & 6.20
p.m.
PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Mixed (endowed) founded in 1741 by Mrs Sarah
Neal & endowed in 1800 with a legacy of £200 left by the late Rev. Richard
Levett, & invested in £ 3 per cent. Consols: the present school was
principally built by the late Col. Dyott in 1864; the school will hold 85
children; average attendance, 80; Walter Bramley, master
Infants’ for 105; average attendance 90 ; Mrs
Walter Bramley, mistress
Police Station, John Wood, sergeant, & 1
constable
WHITTINGTON
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Crosthwaite Capt. J. A. Ivy cottage
Dyott Richard Archibald, Hardlesford house
Felton Ernest Edwd. Whitting crt
Holland William, South side
Hurd Thomas, Holly bank
Inge Chas. Henry J.P. Broom Leasoe
Kay Rev. William Henry M.A. (vicar)
Marwood Maj. Henry, Heath view
Moody Mrs.
Prior Maj. Arthur W. The Heath
Scott Capt. Lindsay
Seckham Major Bassett Thorne D.S.O. J.P. The Old
Hall
Smith Mrs, Whittington house
COMMERCIAL.
Alsopp William, farmer,
Arnold Abraham, baker
Baskerville Walter Jn., farmer, Hurst fm
Bates Thomas, farmer
Berks Mary (Mrs.), bakr. & provsn. dlr
Berry Ambrose Salisbury, farmer, Church farm
Boston James Richard, farmer
Bridgen William, bricklayer
Burton Frederick John, market gardener,
Whittington marsh
Cotterill Jn. Plough P.H. Huddlesford
Deakin Hy. market gardener, Rose cot.
Elson George, tailor
Elson Joseph, tailor
Elson Mary Amelia (Mrs.), Post office
Farnsworth Harry, butcher
Greenwood William, shopkeeper
Hughes John, Peel Arms P.H.
Johnson Henry, market gardener
Langton Herbt, wheelwright & buildr
Lees Geo. farmer, Darnford Mill farm
Mann Frederick, farmer
Nevill Teresa (Mrs.), draper
Norman George, market gardener
Ottewell John Whittaker, farmer & miller
(water), Bannins mill
Parker George (Mrs.), farmer, Brookhay (postal
address, near Lichfield)
Pass Edward, jun. bricklayer
Pass Hennis Arms, Bell inn
Phillips James Arthur, farmer, Brookhay (postal
address, nr Lichfield)
Pownell Samuel, Swann P. H.
Ricketts Martin Henry, fruit grower & market
gardener
Rogers Edwin, farmer, Huddlesford
Rutland Walter, farmer
Simkins Abraham, farmer, Whittington Hurst
Simkins James, farmer, Williford
Smith Frederick, farmer, Thatchmoor House farm
Smith Thomas, farmer, Hillfield cot
Snape Thomas, shoe maker
Soldiers’ Home (Mrs M. L. Allen, lady supt.),
The Heath
Sturgess Charles, Dog inn
Tideswell Thomas, farmer, Brookhay (postal
address, near Lichfield)
Toplis Charles, wheelwright
Twamley John, carpenter, Huddlesfrd
Warrender Arthur, shopkeeper
Wheelton Leonard, farmer, The Grove
Wigham Cuthbert Thomas, provision merchant & at
Lichfield
Windridge Matilda, smith
Worthington Ernest, beer retailer
TAMHORN
Thornycroft John Alfred, farmer
