1903 Kelly’s Directory

Kelly’s Directory of Beds, Hunts and Northants of 1903 has this entry for Eversholt.

 

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EVERSHOLT is a parish 2 miles east from Woburn, on the borders of the park, about 4 south from Ridgmont station on the Bedford and Bletchley branch of the North Western railway, about 4 south-west from Flitwick station on the main lane of the Midland railway, 6 north-east from Ampthill and 14 south-west from Bedford, in the Southern division of the county, hundred of Manshead, petty sessional division of Woburn, county court district and union of Ampthill, rural deanery of Fleete, archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of Ely. The parish consists of several clusters of houses, called “Ends.” The church of St. John the Baptist is a building of stone in the Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, aisles and a western embattled tower containing 6 bells: the north aisle projects one bay beyond the nave, and opens into the chancel by a Decorated arch, on one side of which is a piscina: there is another in the south aisle and a third in the chancel: the monuments include one to the Hon. Frances Ongley, eldest daughter of Samuel Henley, first Baron Ongley, of Old Warden, a title which became extinct in 1877; Mrs. Elizabeth Hyde, sister of the Bishop of St. David’s, and Mrs. Sarah Hodgkinson : on the wall of the vestry is a boar’s head carved in stone, the name Eversholt signifying “the hold of the wild boar”: a new communion table was provided in 1902 at a cost of £50: the church underwent a complete restoration in 1864, under the direction of the late Sir G. G. Scott R.A. at a cost of about £3,000, and will seat 300 persons. The register dates from the year 1628. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £350, including 10 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Duke of Bedford and held since 1900 by the Rev. William Escott Collins B.A. of Lincoln College, Oxford. The Eversholt Parochial Charity estate of 110 acres, produces £245 14s. yearly; the income, administered by trustees, is applied for the benefit of the church, the poor and the schools each receiving one-third of the total income. There is a reading room managed by a committee of 10 members, the rector being president; at the school is a parish library of about 250 volumes. Gilbert of Eversholt, one of the early rectors of this parish, and also an architect of some considerable eminence, was employed in the restoration of St. Alban’s Abbey. The Duke of Bedford K.G. is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is loam and gravel; subsoil, clay. The land is chiefly in pasture; the chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, beans and peas. The area is 2,146 acres; rateable value, £2,975 ; the population in 1901 was 574.
 
Sexton, Frederick Major.
 
Post Office.—Mrs. Ann Harris, sub-postmistress. Letters arrive through Woburn R.S.O. at 7.15 a.m. ; dispatched at 6.15 p.m. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Woburn, 3 miles distant
Wall Letter Boxes.—Foxfield, cleared 6.40 p.m. & Rad’s End, cleared at 6 p.m. week days only
 
A School Board of 5 members was formed 14 October, 1885; William H. Smith, Woburn, clerk to the board
 
Board (formerly National) School (mixed), erected in 1844, for 140 children, & (infants) erected in 1862, for 60 children, now annexed; average attendance, 90 ; Benjamin Wild, master
 
Barton John, Bury End
Collins Rev. William Escott B.A. (rector), Rectory
Crouch Miss, The Laurels, Rads End
Gibbons Joseph, Rads End
Green Miss, Berrystead
Raynor Green, Hills End
Smith Mrs. Rads End
Spraige John, Froxfield End
COMMERCIAL.
Chance Thomas, poultry dealer, Rads End
Coles George, beer retailer, Rads End
Crisp William, Falcon P.H. Rads End
Ford Alfred, baker, Church End
Goodman Ann (Mrs.), farmr. Mill farm
Goodman James, beer retailer, Church End
Harris  Ann (Mrs.), shopkeeper,  Post office, Church End
Harris Arthur Wm. builder, ChurchEnd
Holmes Thomas, farmer, Rads End
Humphreys Hy. Jas. farmer, Water End
Inns George, blacksmith. Whit’s End
Ireland Thomas, show maker, Rads End
Lane Richard, farmer. Rads End
Muckleston Arthur, farm bailiff to Col. Hanbury Barclay, Town frm. Rads End
Negus William, butcher, Church End
Pepper John, wheelwright, Whit’s End
Pepper Philip, hay & straw dealer &c. Bury End
Peto Herbert Arthur, farm bailiff to Duke of Bedford, Wakes farm
Reading Room (Rev. William Escott Collins B.A. sec)
Reddall Henry, Red Lion P.H. Whit’s End
Shillingford Arthur William, Green Man. P.H. & assistant overseer, Church End
Slinsbury Arth. poultry dealer, Rads End
Smith William, grocer, Church End
Stenbridge Thos. farmer, Church End
Wild Benjamin, clerk to the Eversholt charity trustees, Church End

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