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Averham

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"Averham is a small rural village and parish, near the Trent, 3 miles west by north of Newark. Its parish includes the township of Staythorpe, which together contain 267 inhabitants and 2,643 acres of land. The large island formed by the two branches of the Trent navigation, opposite to Newark, is in the manor of Averham, or Aram, which has long been possessed by the Suttons of Kelham, who formerly had a park and seat here. John Henry Manners Sutton Esq. M.P. is lord of the manor, sole owner of Averham, and patron of the church, dedicated to St Michael, a rectory with Kelham annexed. The living, valued in the King's books at £20, now £1,435, is in the incumbency of the Rev. William Manners Sutton M.A.
The church is a neat structure, with a tower and six bells. The rectory is a large, handsome mansion, which was rebuilt in 1839. The tithe was commuted in 1838 for £1,274, including Kelham. A new school was erected by J.H.M. Sutton Esq. in 1850 at a cost of £300, for the use of the parish. It is a neat brick building. Averham Park contains two farms, 2 miles north of the village."
[WHITE's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]

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Archives & Libraries

The Library at Newark-on-Trent will prove useful in your research.

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Cemeteries

Tom COURTNEY has a photograph of the church graveyard on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2005.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1841H.O. 107 / 865
1861R.G. 9 / 2472
1871R.G. 10 / 3534
1881R.G. 11 / 3370
1891R.G. 12 / 2708
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael.
     
  • The date of construction is not recorded but appears to be around 1300.
     
  • The church was restored in 1858 and further repairs done in 1865.
     
  • Tim HEATON has a photograph of the Church of St. Michael on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2008.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of St. Michael's Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2016.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of a listing Lych Gate on Geo-graph, taken in November, 20096.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1537 for baptisms, and 1540 for marriages and burials.
     
  • We have a partial parish register extract, provided by Julie Driver.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Newark, #2.
     
  • There was a Wesleyan chapel reported here in 1912.
     
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
     
  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
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Description & Travel

This parish and village lie about 127 miles north of London, 3 miles west of Newark-on-Trent and 3 miles north-east of Fiskerton. Upton parish is to the west and Kelham parish to the north. The parish covers about 2,100 acres and includes the two townships of Averham and Staythorpe.

The River Trent passes through the parish and along the east edge of the village. If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A612 north-east out of Nottingham or south-west out of Newark. The A617 passes along the north edge of the village.
     
  • David DIXON has a photograph of the entrance to Averham from the A617 on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2014. You might offer your talent and skills in enhancing the Village Sign.
     
You can see pictures of Averham which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK764546 (Lat/Lon: 53.083165, -0.860849), Averham which are provided by:

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Military History

The Great War Bulletin for December 7, 1914 tells us that one man of Averham, G. SMITH, had been appointed as "Special Constables" to assist the police force in the event of a German invasion. Also, one man of Staythorpe, A. J. DOVE, had been appointed as "Special Constable" as well.

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Military Records

For a photograph of the memorial plaque in St Michael and All Angels Church and the list of names on it see the Nottinghamshire County Council site. That site lists these men:

  1. William Edward ANSELL
  2. Frederick Johnson DICKINSON
  3. John Henry GENT
  4. Harry Lawford HUNT
  5. Reuben INGAMELLS
  6. George William SMITH
  7. John WILLIAMSON

There are two Commonwealth War Graves in St. Michael's churchyard, one from each World War:

  1. Frederick C. INGAMELLS, private, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, died 18 Feb. 1919 of influenza.
  2. John HATTON, sergeant, RAF Vol. Rsrv., died 3 Apr. 1943. Son of Luke Fox HATTON and Mabel HATTON, of Newark.

Tom COURTNEY has a photograph of Sergeant HATTON's gravestone on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2005.

The Great War Bulletin for December 21, 1914 tells us that:

"AVERHAM gardener George Smith and his wife Elizabeth received a letter on Thursday informing them that the oldest of their five children, 24-year-old Private George William SMITH of the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, had been killed in action on 22 November.
On Monday, 21 December, the village church was packed for a memorial service; young George had spent eight years in its choir as a boy. His ultimate sacrifice is recorded on Le Touret Memorial, which a century on would contain 13,394 names."
  • Kenneth TANDY, age 27, was a Chief Motor Mechanic, 4th Class, on HMS MTB 417 when it was sunk off Calais by German warships on 16 March 1944. He was the husband of Gwendoline Marion TANDY, son of Edward and May Gertrude TANDY of Averham.
     
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Nottingham county and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish was in the northern division of the ancient Thurgarton Wapentake in the southern division of the county.
     
  • In April, 1935, the parish was reduced by 71 acres which were transfered to Newark-on-Trent Civil Parish.
     
  • The parish is governed by a joint Parish Council that includes Averham, Kelham and Staythorpe.
     
  • District governance is provided by the Newark and Sherwood District Council.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Newark petty session hearings held twice each week at the Town Hall.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Southwell Poor Law Union.
     
  • The Common Lands were not enclosed here until 1838.
     
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Population

 YearAverhamStaythorpe
180116664
185120364
186123762
187116544
188116444
190113056
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Schools

  • A National School (mixed) was built here in 1853. Attendance in 1912 was about 46.