Modbury

from

Kelly's Directory for Devonshire 1930

Transcribed by Sheila Jones

MODBURY is a small but important market town and large parish, in the Totnes division of the county, hundred of Ermington, petty sessional division of Ermington and Plympton, union and county court district of Kingsbridge, rural deanery of Plympton, archdeaconry of Plymouth and diocese of Exeter. The town is built of the slopes of a rivulet which runs into the river Erme, and consists of four streets, intersecting at right angles; it is 5 miles south-east from Ivybridge station on the South Devon section of the Great Western railway. It is 12 miles east from Plymouth, with which it is connected by a frequent service of Western National Company's motor omnibuses, and 7½ north-west from Kingsbridge. The town is supplied with water by conduits from several springs, and has been lighted with gas since 1865. The church of St. George stands on an eminence, and is a fine embattled structure in a Gothic style of the 13^th and 14^th centuries, consisting of a chancel and nave, with aisles to both, transepts, south porch and a tower, re-erected in 1622, with spire 134 feet in height, and containing a clock and six bells: in the south transept are two recessed canopied arches, in one of which is placed the recumbent effigy of a knight in plate armour, possible representing Sir John Champernowne, c. 1488; within the other arch lies the mutilated effigy of a crusading knight: in the north aisle is another canopied recess of more elaborate character, containing the effigy of a lady in flowing robes, c. 1250-1310, and fragments of the effigy of another crusader; these earlier figures are assumed to represent members of the Okeston family, once the possessors of this place, or of the Prideaux family: at the back of this recess, restored by Mr. Prideaux-Brune, of Prideaux, Cornwall, is a quatrefoil window, which has been filled with the arms of the Prideaux family in stained glass: in the south aisle is a memorial window to the Ven. Archdeacon Froude: the east window is a memorial to the Rev. Nutcombe Oxenham, a former vicar: in 1858 the interior was restored and reseated and in 1873 a new organ was erected: the oak reredos was erected in 1925 in memory of the late Miss Emma Green, daughter of a former vicar: there are 600 sittings. The register dates from the year 1601. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £379, including 9 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Eton College, and held since 1927 by the Rev. Archibald Calder, D.S.O, B.A. of St. Catharine's College,Cambridge. The impropriate tithe rent-charge of the parish of Modbury, payable to Eton College, is commuted at £900. Near the church once stood the ancient priory of Modbury, founded by the Champernowne family as a cell to the Abbey of St. Pierre Sur Dives, in Normandy, and dedicated to St. Gregory; the revenues at the dissolution were estimated at £70. Of the mansion of the ancient family of Champernowne, small portions still exist. There is a Baptist chapel, founded in 1791, with sittings for 260 persons, and a Wesleyan chapel. The Literary and Scientific Institute, in Brownston street, founded by Richard King in 1840, is a building of stone, with Doric columns and portico, and has a good sized billiard room. Two endowments of £500 each were left for the benefit of the Institute by the late John Andrews esq. and the late Samuel Spry esq. The cattle market is held on the second Monday in every month, and is largely attended. The stock fair is on or immediately after the first Tuesday in May. Woollen serge was formerly manufactured here, but the trade is wholly discontinued; agricultural pursuits now form the chief employment of the inhabitants. The chief charities are one of £5 per annum for the improvement of the town, and £5 per annum to provide coal for poor people. The educational charities consist of £27 3s. 10d. per annum, being interest of £1,086 14s. 4d. 2½ per cent. Consols, £6 10s. of which goes to the vicar for religious education and the balance to trustees for school prizes &c. The principal was chiefly bequeathed by John Andrews esq. Joseph Wriford and a few others. Hill's charity of £2 8s. per annum is devoted to nursing. Here in Feb. 1642 or 43, Sir Ralph Hopton and Sir Nicholas Slanning, with a force of about 2,000 men, were attacked and defeated by a body of Parliamentary troops from Plymouth, under Col. Ruthven, and a number of the leaders captured. Whympston is the property of the Plymouth Co-operative Society Limited, and is used as a holiday home. Arthur Crawley Pode esq. is lord of the borough and manor of Great Modbury. Lt.-Col. Lord Mildmay of Flete P.C., T.D., D.L., J.P. is lord of the manor of Orcherton, the manor house of which was the ancient sear of the Prideaux family. Lt.-Col. Lord Mildmay of Flete P.C. the Plymouth Co-operative Society Limited, John Andrews esq. J.P. and Messrs. Charles Choake and Sons are the principal landowners. The kennels of the Modbury harriers are in this parish; a committee are the masters; the pack comprises 12 couples of about 21-inch harriers, and hunts Tuesdays and Fridays; Modbury and Ivybridge are convenient centres; Ivybridge, 5 miles distant, is the nearest railway station to the kennels. The soil is a rich loam; sub-soil, various. The area is 5,871 acres of land, 5 of water, 16 of tidal water and 49 of foreshore; rateable value, £9,703; the population in 1911 was 1,103 in the civil and 159 in the ecclesiastical parish. By Local Government Board Order 16,313, a detached part of Kingston, near Strayland Green, was added to this parish; and Penquit, Caton and Ludbrook House transferred from the parish to Ermington, March 24, 1884, for civil purposes.

Parish Clerk, Henry William Andrews.

BROWNSTON is a hamlet, 3 miles north-east. St. John's chapel of ease, erected in 1844, is a building of stone in the Gothic style, and has a gift of £20 yearly from Eton College, the patrons of the mother church: in 1870 John Andrews also left £12 10s. yearly to the curate: in the chapel is an exceedingly interesting clergy stall, with an almost unique (in England) carving of the Holy Trinity; tradition asserts that it came from one of the ships of the Spanish Armada. Here is a small Wesleyan chapel.

LEIGH, 2 miles east-by-north, is also a hamlet in this parish.

Post, M.O., T. & T.E.D. Office - Broad street (letters should have Devon added).

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS

Literary and Scientific Institution, Brownston street, Alfred H. Salway, hon. sec.; John Hext, librarian.
Police Station

PUBLIC OFFICERS

Admiralty Surgeon and Certifying Factory Surgeon, Wm. H. Andrews L.R.C.P. & S.Edin., L.R.F.C.P. & S.Glas. Brownston street
Collector of Income and Land Tax for Modbury, J.D. Tucker, 19 Coleridge rd, Plymouth
Medical Officers & Public Vaccinators, Kingsbridge Guardians Committee Area, 5^th District, William Henry Andrews L.R.C.P. & S.Edin., L.R.F.C.P. & S.Glas. Brownston street; 13^th District, Henry Pode Miles L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.C.S.Eng. 18 Church street
Rating Officer & Clerk to the Parish Council, George Fox, 3 Church st
Registrar of Births and Deaths, Modbury Sub-District, Kingsbridge Union, William H. Trinnick, 64 Brownston street
Town Crier, Frederick Wood, Galpin street

PLACES OF WORSHIP

St. George's Church, Rev. Archibald Calder D.S.O., B.A. vicar
St. John's Chapel of Ease, Brownston
Baptist, Church street, Rev. John J. Nelson
Wesleyan Methodist, Chapel place, New road (South Devon Mission)
Wesleyan Methodist, Brownston

CONVEYANCE

Omnibus to Ivybridge station daily, returning on arrival of trains.
Western National Co. omnibus service to Plymouth.

CARRIER TO PLYMOUTH

S.W. Bartlett, tues. thurs., fri. & sat. 9 a.m. (motor)

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

(for T.N.'s see general list of Private Residents at end of book)

Andrews John J.P. Traine house
Andrews William Henry, Brick ho, Brownston st
Choake Charles Cridland, Hillside, Brownston st
Choake Henry, Madeira vale
Choake Mrs. 18 Church st
Coyte Frank J.P. 23 Church st
Evans William Henry, 28 Church st
Fox Francis A. 4 Church st
Fox George, 7 Church st
Green Misses, 17 Church st
Griffiths John Davis, 19 Brownston st
Jackson Nicholas J. Brownston
Langworthy Mrs. 16 Church st
Miles Henry Pode, Palm Cross green
Murphy Thomas Terence Parkinson, M.D. 29 Church st
Nelson Rev. John J. (Baptist), The Manse
Pode Arthur Crawley B.A. The Barracks
Robey W. George, London house, Church st
Robins Mrs. John, Trevere
Rogers Miss, 22 Brownston st
Rogers Mrs. 43 Brownston st
Sambell Alfred, Poundwell house
Treneer William Francis, Lloyds Bank house, Broad st
Trinick William H. Church st
Weeks Regd. Newton, 30 Church street
Wroth Mrs. Austin, Erme house, Church st

COMMERCIAL

Early closing day Wednesday
Marked thus * farm 150 acres or over

Acocks Geo. fruitr. 3 Broad st
Andrews & Miles, physcns. and surgns. Church st
Andrews & Pode, solicitors, Brownston st. Tel. No. 7 Modbury
Andrews Wm. Hy. L.R.C.P. & S.Edin., L.R.FC..P. & S.Glas. (firm, Andrews & Miles), surgn. & medical officer & public vaccinator, 5^th district, Kingsbridge Guardians Committee Area; Admiralty surgn. & certifying factory surgn. Brick ho. Brownston st T.N. 8
Ash Wm. & Son, monumental masons, New rd
Bailey Frank, draper, 2 Broad st
Barratt Geo. farmer, Shearlangstone
Bartlett Sidney Ward, carrier, 3 Galpin st
Beard Sydney, blacksmith, Back st
Bickford Edward James, miller (water), Sheepham
*Blackler Geo. farmer, West Leigh
Blake Jas. boot & shoe mkr. 8 Brownston st
Brown Francis, china & glass dealer, 11, & grocer, 12, Broad st
Burring Jn. boot maker & correspondent to School Management Committee, 60 Brownston st
*Camp Bertram David, farmer, Widland
Camp Ernest Wm. Farmer, Low. Brownston
Caunter Albt. Edwd. farmer, Stoliford
Cawsey Chas. Hy. draper & postmaster, 1 Broad st
Cawsey Herbt. Jas., baker, 2 Church st & 45 Galpin st T.N. 16
Choake Chas. & Son, fellmongers, New road T.N. 6
Cove Ellen (Mrs.), grocer, 5 Church st
Coyte Owen, butcher, 63 Brownston st T.N. 18
*Coyte Sydney, farmer, Butland
Crocker Jn. dairyman, Old Traine
Davis Alfd. Chas. wheelwright, Poundwell st
Davis John, farmer, Bearscombe
Ellis Charles, farmer, Higher Spriddlescombe (postal address, Ugborough)
*Ellis Geo. Rt., farmer, Coombe
Ellory Clarence Short, newsvendor, Brownston st
*Fairweather Hy. farmer, Shilston Barton
Ford Alex, dairyman, Brownston st
Ford Percy G. saddler, 48 Brownston st
Forresters Ancient Order of (Devonshire & Cornwall United district) (No. 9095, John Andrews) (A. Hooper, sec.), Poundwell st
Fox Geo. farmer & rating officer & clerk to Parish Council Church st, Little Stoliford
Fox Phillip Hy. dairyman, 4 Church st
FURZLAND JOHN, painter and house decorator, picture frame maker and glazier; & motor car painting a speciality, Galpin st T.N. 36
Gloyn Jn. farmer, Weeke
Great Western Hotel (Frank L. Wayre, propr.), Broad st
*Harris Sydney, farmer, Spriddlescombe manor
Harvey J.H. Fuge, A.L.A.A. accntnt. 6 Church st
Hine Clement, boot mkr. Poundwell st
Helmer Harry H. farmer, Fancy
Hodder Alfd. Philip, farmer, Leycombe
Hooper Rt. White Hart hotel. Church st T.N. 21
Inall Hy. Courtney, Modbury inn, Brownston st T.N. 9
Irish Thos. & Sons, farmers, Edmeston
Jenkins Richard, farm bailiff to the Duchy of Cornwall, Sheepham
Lakeman's Stores, grocers, 4 Broad st T.N. 5
Lethbridge Ernst, threshing machine propr. Churchlands
Lloyds Bank Ltd. (branch) (Wm. Fras. Treneer, manager); open daily, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; market days to 4 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Broad st; head office, 42 & 44 Gracechurch st. London EC3
Luscombe J. A. & Sons, farmers, Chapple Brownston, Higher Brownston & Brownston
Luscombe Arth. Farmer, Glebe, Brownston
*Luscome Haley, farmer, Ashridge
Luscombe Herbt. farmer, Trehele
Luscombe John, farmer, Sheepham
*Luscombe Thos., farmer, Little Orcherton
*Luscombe Wm. Geo. farmer, Yarnacombe
Main David, Exeter inn, Church st T.N. 39
May Frank, tailor, 3 Church st
May James, farmer, The Priory
May Wm. farmer, Sheepham
Meatherell Geo. plumber, 8 Galpin st T.N. 37
Midland Bank Ltd. (sub-branch to Kingsbridge) (open mon. & thurs. 10 1.m. to 2 p.m.; market days, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Church st; head office, Poultry, London EC2
Miles Hy. Pode, L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.C.S.Eng. (firm, Andrews & Miles), physcn. & surgn. & medical officer & public vaccinator, 13^th district, Kingsbridge Guardians Committee Area, Palm Cross grn T.N. 12
Moase Lewis, farmer, Oldaport
Modbury Club (W.H. Evans, hon. sec.), 31 Church st
Modbury Gas Works (A. Bell, sec.)
Modbury Harriers (Tom Pearse, 19 Church st, Modbury & Rev. A.T. Allin, Woolston, Loddiswell, hon. secs.)
Modbury Literary & Scientific Institution (Alfred H. Salway, hon.sec.; John Hext, librarian), Brownston st
Mortimore Alfd., bldr. New rd
Moysey Edwd. Stranger, painter, Church st
Mumford Fredk. Geo. butcher, 35 Church st T.N. 22
Murphy Thomas Terence Parkinson, M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O.N.U.I. physician & surgeon, 30 Church st T.N. 28
Pearse Wm. & Sons, auctnrs. 19 Church st
Perkins Wm. Jn. Shopkpr. 1 Broad st
Phillips Wm. Jn. Purdey, cowkeeper, 59 Brownston st
Plynouth Co-operative Society Ltd. Church st (T.N. 13) & farmers, Whympston
Pode Arthur Crawley B.A. solicitor & commissioner for oaths (firm, Andrews & Pode), Brownston street Tel. No. 7 Modbury
Rickman Hubert, farmer, 62 Brownston st
Rogers Albert Chas. Pinhey, butcher, 6 Church st
*Rogers Jn., farmer, East Leigh
Rogers Phillip, farmer, Croppins Combe
Rogers Richard Frank, farmer, Lower East Leigh
Rogers Wm. Hy. Haridressr. 9 Broad st
*Savory Lewis, farmer, Stockenridge
*Sherrell Jn. & Co. farmers, Little Modbury
Sloman Wm. Hy. Solctr. (attends mon 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.), Church st
Steer Ernest & Sons, agricultrl. implement mkrs. T.N. 26
Steer George, carpenter, New road
Stevens' Garage (W. Stevens & Sons, proprietors); motor engineers & accessories; any make of car supplied; high-class cars for hire; funerals by motor hearse; daily motor service ro & from G.W.R. station, Ivybridge T.N. Modbury 11
Stevens Sidney Jn., confectnr. 10 Broad st
Swinnerton Geo. (exors. Of), chemists, 5 Broad st T.N. 15
Tarr Jas. Farmer, Sheepham
Taylor Wm. Martin, farmer, Shearlangston
Triggs Cyril, insur. Agnt. 9 Church st
Trinick Wm. Hy. printer, & registrar of births & deaths, Modbury sub-district, Kingsbridge registration district, 6 Broad st T.N. 19
Walters Thos. motor garage, New rd T.N. 35
Whiddon Wm. school attendance officer, Church st
Williams Rd. Chas. farmer, Orcherton mills
Wilsahw Edwd. A. M.R.C.V.S. veterinary surgn. & inspector to Devon county council, Church st T.N. 10
*Williams Saml. J. farmer, Great Orcherton
Wood Fredk. town crier, Galpin st

Brian Randell, 13 Aug 2002