| TOPSHAM IN SLATER'S DIRECTORY OF 1852 |
Topsham is a seaport, market town and parish in the Hundred of Wonford, about 4 miles south from Exeter, and nearly 5 above the junction of the River Exe with the sea, and is within the port of Exeter. The river expands here to a considerable width, forming, at high tides, a noble sheet of water. About a mile to the south, on the opposite side of it, are the sea locks opening into the Canal leading to Exeter. A quay was constructed here by Hugh Courtney in the early part of the 14th century; in 1778 it was purchased by the Coporation of Exeter, who improved it and rendered it convenient. The coald and timber trades, ship-building, and rope, twine and sack-making were the chief branches of business carried on here, but they have considerably declined of later years. The beautiful Strand at this place, which is generally admired for the extensive and diversified prospects obtained from it, embracing views on the River Exe, the Canal, the railway and the road, within the distance of a mile, will principally arrest the observation of every stranger.
The places of worship at Topsham are the parish church, and meeting houses for Independents, Unitarians and Wesleyan Methodists. The church is dedicated to St Margaret, and contains some good monuments by Chantrey, and the view from the churchyard is considered very fine. |
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Looking across the River Exe from the churchyard steps
©Richard J. Brine |
The living of Topsham is a perpetual curacy, in the presentation of the Dean and chapter of Exeter. The late Sir William Follett, attorney-general and representative of Exeter, was a native of Topsham. The principal charity is a large free-school called "Elliot's Charity School", partly supported by a bequest of Captain Samuel; Elliot, assisted by voluntary contributions. A small market is held on Saturday, and a fair on the first Thursday after the 18th of July. The parish of Topsham (including Wear Hamlet) contained, in 1841, 3733 inhabitants. POST OFFICE: In the High Street - Post master: Marler Troake. Letters from London arrive every morning at six and are despatched every evening at seven. Letters from Manchester and all parts of the north of England arrive every day at one, and are despatched every morning at ten. Letters from Exmouth arrive every morning at ten and are despatched every day at one. |
GENTRY & CLERGY Ash, Mr Edward, the Strand Barmby, Rev. Goodwyn, Bridge Hill Brand, Nicholas Esq., High Street Breakspeare, Mrs. Elizabeth, Exeter Road. Carter, Lieutenant, Thomas, Lower Shapter Street Clarke, Miss Barbara, High Street Davey, Mr Daniel, The Passage Davey, Mr Francis, Monmouth Street Drew, Mrs Hannah, High Street Fletcher, Rev. Robert, Victoria Place Follett, John Esq.,Mount Wear House Goodrick, Mrs. Sarah, Fore Street Halford, Mrs. Mary, New Court Hamilton, Alexander Esq.,The Retreat Harrison, Mrs. Eleanor, Fore Street Harrison, Mrs Jane, Fore Street Hemer, Mrs Francis Fore Street Hewson, Captain George, Pomeroy Cottage, Monmouth Street Hill, Mrs Grace, High Street Holman, Mr John, The Passage Holman, Captain Robert, Victoria Place Hooper, Mr Isaac, Victoria Place Hore, Mrs Sarah, Fore Street Hoskins, Captain Thomas, RN, The Strand Hurdle Mrs. Mary, High Street Lambert, Lieut. Charles, RN, Monmouth Street Lang, Mr William, Upper Shapter Street Lee, Colonel Brice, Middle Ebford Lodge, Mrs Judith, The Strand Luke, Mr John, Lower Ebford House Markwell, Mrs Jane, The Strand Moore, the Misses, Higher Ebford Paine, Mr Thomas, The Strand Paine, Mr Thomas jun. Bridge Hill Parker, Mrs Sarah, The Passage Paul, Mr Henry, The Strand Peters, the Misses Sarah & Lucinda, Monmouth Street Plumb, Mr Curtis, High Street Popham, Captain Thomas, The Strand Pyle, Rev. Samuel, The Strand Ross, Mr Francis William Lock, High Street Salmon, Miss Mary, The Strand Sheppard, Mr Samuel, Lower Shapter Street Thorp, Rev. Henry, The Strand Wallis, Rev. Robert, The Strand Warner, Mr Charles, High Street Wright, Mr Charles, High Street Wright, Captain Philip, RN, The Strand ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS Elliot's Charity School, Victoria Place (Thomas Willicott, Master) Hill, Anne (boarding & day), Victoria Place Hookins, Henry, High Street Infants School, Victoria Place (Mary Ann White - Mistress) National School, Victoria Place (Henry Halfyarde, Master) BAKERS Giles, James, Fore Street Melhuish, William, High Street Ocock, John, Fore Street Pridham, John, Fore Street Salisbury, John, Monmouth Street Scoble, William, Fore street Toogood, Henry, High Street Wilcocks, James, High Street BASKET MAKERS Bass, Samuel, High Street Crocker, Thomas, The Strand BLACKSMITHS Jackson, Henry, The Strand Lock, Thomas, The Strand Moore, Ananias, The Passage Tapper, John, High Street Westcott, John, High Street BLOCK MAKERS* Row, James, Fore Street Row, William & John, The Strand Stamp, Edmund, Fore Street BOOT & SHOE MAKERS Francis, Edmund, High Street Hanson, George, The Passage Pollard, Thomas, The Strand Redman, John, The Strand Swain, Richard, High Street Underhill, Hon, High Street Willecott, Edward, Fore Street BUTCHERS Haywood, John, Fore Street Toogood, Henry, High Street Tozer, Richard, Fore Street Walling, Sampson (pork), Fore Street Walters, Henry, Fore Street Walters, Thomas, Fore Street CARPENTERS Clapp, George, High Street Clapp, William (& Furniture Broker) Francis, William, Fore Street Mitchell, Hezekiah, Fore Street Stamp, Elizabeth, Monmouth Street CHEMISTS & DRUGGISTS Trevor, Edwin, Fore Street Troake, Marler, the Strand COAL DEALERS Bussell, Robert, merchant, Fore Street Gullock, Susan, the Strand Harvey, Thomas, the Strand FIRE & INSURANCE AGENTS Atlas, (Fire & Life), Marler Troake, High Street English Widows (Life & Fund), John Ford, High Street London Mutual (Life) Marler Troake, High Street West of England ( Fire & Life) George Gale, High Street FLY** & OMNIBUS PROPRIETORS Casely, William, the Strand Ireland, James, High Street GARDENERS & SEEDSMEN Downey, William. Monmouth Street Westcott, George, High Street GROCERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES Carlille, William, Fore Street Croft, Edward, Fore Street Elson, George, High Street Gostage, Charles Matthews, High Street Hodder, Samuel (& tallow chandler), Fore Street Holman, Harriet, Monmouth Street Ireland, James, Fore Street Irwin, John, Fore Street Manley, William, Fore Street Sleep, Jane, Quay Hill Sweetland, James, Fore Street Trevor, Edwin, Fore Street Webber, Sarah, High Street INNS & PUBLIC HOUSES Bridge Inn, (prop. Edward Teed Boys), Exmouth Road Commercial Inn, (prop. John Matthews), High Street Duke of Monmouth, (prop. William Dart), Monmouth Street Globe Inn, (prop. John Patch Harrison) Fore Street King's Head (prop. John Please, Upper Shapter street Lighter, (prop. Thomas Stancombe), the Strand Lord Nelson (prop. James Snell), High Street Passage House, (prop. Charles Hall). the Passage Salutation, (prop. William Lake), Fore Street Ship, (prop.Susan Gullock), the Strand Steam packet, (prop. William Parr), Fore Street Sun, (prop. John Stanton), High Street RETAILERS OF BEER Heales, John, High Street Thorn, William, High Street IRONMONGERS Gubb, William, High Street Portbury, Elizabeth, High Street MALTSTERS Gale, George (& spirit dealer), High Street Harrison, John Patch, Fore Street Jackson, John C, White Street MILLINERS & STRAW BONNET MAKERS Clapp, Jane, High Street Cridland, Martha & Leah, High Street Maddicks, Anne, High Street PAINTER, PLUMBERS & GLAZIERS Buttall, Francis, the Passage Hodder, William, High Street Hodder, William W.,Quay Hill Ireland, James, Fore Street Pope, William, Fore Street Williams, Charles, High Street ROPE MAKERS Follett, John & Co., High Street SHIP BUILDERS Bowden, Thomas, Strand Dodd, James (shipwright), Strand Periam, Gilbert, ship owner, Monmouth Street Water & Co., the Passage SURGEONS Fox, Charles, High Street Tothill, Thomas Charles, High Street Yarde, William, High Street SURVEYOR Holman, John (to Lloyd's Shipping list) the Passage TAILORS Baker, Zachariah, High Street Brown, Harriet, Fore Street Halfyard, henry, the Strand Hayden, Thomas, Fore Street Heddon, Thomas, the Strand Irwin, John, Fore Street Martin. Robert, Fore Street TIMBER MERCHANTS Follet & Co. (& hemp), the Passage Gabriel & Son, the Strand TIN-PLATE WORKERS Baker, George, Fore Street Portbury, Richard, High Street West, John, High Street WATCH & CLOCK-MAKERS Salter, Robert, Lower Shapter Street Trevor, John, Fore Street MISCELLANEOUS Bonkam, John, china & glass dealer, High Street Boys, Edwin Teed, Veterinary surgeon, Bridge Hill Browne, James, miller, Bridge Mills Browne, John, parish clerk, Fore Street Carlile, William, auctioneer, Fore Street Custom House, Fore Street - John Jones Chief Officer Ford, John, confectioner, Fore Street Ford, John, bookseller, stationer, printer, circulating library Gas Works, White Street, John Patch Harrison, secretary Harris, William, wheelwright, High Street Havill, William henry, bricklayer & mason, Monmouth Street Inland Revenue, Globe Inn, John Furse, supervisor Murphy, James, cooper, the Strand Newman, William, plasterer, Victoria Place Richards, Charles, attorney, Fore Street Rowe, John, town crier, Fore Street Southcott, Edward, Relieving officer, Monmouth Street Stephens, William, saddler, High Street Sweeting, Richard, Inland Revenue Officer, the Strand Tozer, William hairdresser & toy dealer, Fore Street Troake, Henry, accountant & clerk to the magistrates, High Street * Block makers engraved the plates used in the printing industry ** A small horse-drawn conveyance which did the work of the modern taxi |
PLACES OF WORSHIP AND THEIR MINISTERS
St Margaret's Church: Rev. Henry Thorpe MA, Incumbent Rev. Robert Wallis, assistant curate INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, Victoria Place Rev. Robert Fletcher UNITARIAN CHAPEL, Victoria Place Rev. Goodwin Barmby WESLEYAN METHODIST CHAPEL, White Street REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS Thomas Tothill, Superintendent, High Street John Ford, High Street COACHES - all call at the Lord Nelson To Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth: the Royal Mail every morning at six, and noon at one. Also to the above, the Defiance Coach every morning at eleven. To Exeter, the Royal Mail, every morning at ten and evening at seven, and The Defiance coach every morning at eleven. RAILWAY Topsham is distant four miles from the Exeter Station on the Great Western and South Devon Railways, by which passengers and goods may be conveyed to London, Bristol, Plymouth and all intermediate places. An omnibus from the Lord Nelson three times daily.
CARRIERS from the Lord Nelson Inn To Budleigh Salterton, John Austin and Emmanuel Harding, Tuesday and Friday and George Tuck, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. To Exeter, John Hayne and Robert Hayne daily; John Austin and Emmanuel Harding Tuesday and Friday; George Tuck and James Wood, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. To Exmouyth, John Hayne and Robert Hayne daily; James Wood, Monday, Wednesday and friday. CONVEYANCE BY WATER To London, coasting vessels from Exeter call at the Quay weekly. |
© M.E. Brine. This page last updated
17 February, 2011
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