Humber, Herefordshire - Kelly's Directory, 1913

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1913

HUMBER.

HUMBER, is a parish, with scattered population, about 1 mile south of the Leominster and Bromyard road, and watered by the Humber Brook, a feeder of the Lugg, 3½ miles east-south-east from Leominster, with a station at Steens Bridge, 1 mile north-east of the church on the Leominster and Bromyard section of the Great Western Railway, in the northern division of the county, Wolphy hundred, Leominster Union, petty Sessional division and county court district, rural deanery of Leominster, archdeaconry and diocese of Hereford. The church of St. Mary the Virgin is a building of stone; consisting of chancel, nave, north transept, south porch, and western tower 45 feet high with shingled spire 36 feet in height, and containing 2 bells; In the east wall, above the communion table, is a curious old bracket, and the east window is stained: The nave has been reseated with open benches and the interesting Jacobean pulpit has been restored as a memorial to the Rev. Allen Cowburn, a former rector by his widow and relatives: some ancient tiles remain in the sacrarium, and there are several stained windows: The north transept was built in 1878 at the cost of the late Major E. Nicholas Heygate, R.E., D.L., J.P. of Docklow (d. 1896) The chancel was restored in 1876 and the remainder of the church in 1878, under the direction of Mr. T. H. Wyatt, architect, of London, the cost of the whole amounting to about £900; The tower and spire were restored in 1884 at a cost of £300, from plans by Mr. Francis Bacon, of Newbury, as a memorial to the Rev. Philip John Scudamore-Stanhope M.A., J.P. rector, who died 2 June, 1882, the tower being raised 12 feet to its probable original height: In 1912 a carved oak alter was presented by Col. Charles Knight Wood R. E. in memory of his wife. There are sittings for 130 persons. The register dates from the year 1585. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £160, with residence and 126 acres of glebe land, in the gift of Mrs. Burrell of Hampton Court and held since 1897 by the Rev. Robert Lorimer Rome, M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge. The Rectory House was built in 1870. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel in this parish. Mrs. Heygate, of Bucklands, Docklow, is Lady of the manor, and chief landowner. The soil is clay and red loam; subsoil, rock. The chief crops are corn, hops and apples. The area is 1,836 acres; rateable value, £1,776; and the population in 1911was 196 in the civil and 150 in the ecclesiastical parish.

   RISBURY is a hamlet within this parish, 1-mile south-east, and has remains of a British Camp.

   Parish Clerk.- William Lippett.

   Wall Letter Box, Steens Bridge Station, cleared at 10.55 a & 6.15 p.m. & wall letter box, Humber Rectory, cleared at 5.20 p.m. on weeks days only. Letters through Leominster arrive about 8.15 a.m., Docklow is the nearest telegraph office & Stoke Prior is the nearest money order office.

   Wall Letter Box, Risbury Cross, cleared 5.15 p.m. week days only.

   Public Elementary School (mixed), built, with master's dwelling, in 1874, for 61 children; average attendance, 40; Henry Greenwood, master; Mrs. Greenwood, assistant mistress.

   Railway Station, Steens Bridge, Charles John Howes, Station Master.

   Carriers to Leominster.- From Risbury on Friday Charles Pugh, Josiah Burgess, Richard Morris & Jas. Lawrence

HUMBER
Rome Rev. Robert Lorimer, M. A., (rector), The Rectory
COMMERCIAL
Edwards Aaron Price, farmer, The Court	Jackson George, farmer, Upper Pridelton
Griffiths Eliza (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Steens Bridge	Leominster Golf Club (links) (G. Steel esq. sec.).
Howes Elizabeth A. (Mrs.), coal dealer	Mason Richard Abel, farmer & hop grower, Lower Pridelton

RISBURY
COMMERCIAL
Angeleri Louisa (Mrs.), shopkeeper	Knight Walter, farmer, New Madenhyde
Bemand Richard, farmer Low Brook	Lawrence James, farmer, Turning Ways
Bemand Robert (Mrs.), farmer & hop grower, Upper House	Lawrence William, shopkeeper
Bemand Robert Henry, farmer, hop grower & asst. oversear, Risbury Court	Lewis George W., farmer, Newhouse
Bemand Robert Wm., farmer, Wood Farm	Morgan john, cottage farmer
Burgoyne Brothers, millers	Morris Richard, farmer & carrier, The Field
Diggory Sarah E. (Mrs.), Hop Pole P. H., carpenter	Pugh Charles, farmer & carrier, Butt Oak Gate
Evans William, farmer, Brickhouse Farm	Watkins William, blacksmith
Grosvenor William, farmer, The Poplands

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in January 2003
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1913 in Hereford Central Library]