Woburn
General History
Melville's Directory 1867
Places > Woburn > Books
Woburn is a neat market town, distant 15 miles from Bedford 42 miles from London, and 24 miles from Woburn Sands station of the London and North Western Railway. The population in 1851 was 2,048, and in 1861, by the recent census, it was 1,764.
The MARKET HOUSE, a very neat building, stands in the centre of the town. The market day is on Friday, and there are fairs on January 1st, Mach 23rd, July 13th, and October 6th.
The pillow lace and straw plait trades find employment to the inhabitants. There are several charities and endowments, nearly the whole of which proceed from the family of the Duke of Bedford. There are 12 almshouses, also schools for boys and girls.
The CHURCH, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is a fine structure, with a pinnacled tower, surmounted by an octagonal lantern and vane. The living is a donative curacy, in the gift of the Duke of Bedford.
WOBURN ABBEY is an object of great attraction to the visitors to this neighbourhood. It is a large quadrangular mansion, containing a very fine sculpture gallery, supported by pillars of marble. It also contains a very good collection of paintings by the ancient and modern masters, and a mosaic pavement from Rome. The Abbey is surrounded by a very large park, well stocked with deer.
Post Office.
Postmaster - Mr. Joseph Sergeant.
Night Mail arrives 4.30 a.m. Letters delivered 7 a.m.
Day Mail arrives 12.15 p.m. Letters delivered 12.30 p.m.
First Despatch, 9.50 a.m. London and all parts
Second Despatch, 6.85 p.m North and West of England
Third Despatch, 10 p.m. AIJ parts
Money Orders are issued and paid at this office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Places of Worship.
St. Mary's Church
Independent, Chapel street
Primitive Methodist, New street
Baptist, Leighton Street
Wesleyan, Leighton street
New Baptist, Leighton street
Primitive Methodist, Woburn Sands
Town Hall.
Petty Sessions every alternate Friday.
Magistrates.
Lord Charles James Fox Russell
Rev. John Vaux Moore
William Lyon Smart, esq.
Major William Cooper Cooper, esq.
Rev. Edward Orlebar Smith
Colonel Richard Thomas Gilpin, MP.
Charles Harvey Smith, esq.
Police Station, Leighton street.
Superintendent - William Ralph Young.
Gas and Coke Company, Leighton street.
Secretary - George Bawdler Clarke
Manager - James Wesley
Literary and Scientific Institution, Town Hall.
Secretary - Mr. Joseph Sergeant.
Union.
Board Day every alternate Friday.
Master - Henry Hughes
Mistress - Mrs. Mary Ann Davis
Surgeon - Henry Veasey
Relieving Officer - John Dextor.
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, George street.
British Free Schools, Leighton street.
Master - George Mills
British Girls' School, High street.
Mistress - Miss Jane Mitchell.
Infant School, High street.
Mistress - Miss Margaret Dolin.
Savings Bank, Town Hall:
Open from 11 until 12, first Saturday in every month.
Treasurer - Henry Thomas Rolfe,
Penny Savings Bank.
Open every Monday evening, at 7 o'clock.
Secretary - Mr. George Wilson.
Directory of Woburn
Andrews, Rev. James, Independent, High street
Atterbury, Henry, farms; Speedwdll farm
Atwood, Miss Lucy, Market place
Bailey, Robert, Weathercock, Woburn sands
Barewell, Joseph, Royal Oak, George street
Barr, John, Bedford Arms hotel and posting house; Excise Office; agent to
the North Western railway, George Street
Beard, John, baker, High street
Bedford, his Grace the Duke of, Woburn -abbey
Bennett, John, beer retailer, George st
Bennett, Mr. Thomas, land steward, Park Farm Office Woburn abbey
Bird, -John, wheelwright and smith, Leighton street
Birtchnell, William, stone mason, Leighton street
Bliss, William, esq. High street
Botsford,Jolm, shopkeeper, Chapel st
Buckett, Mrs Mary, Black Horse inn, High street
Bunker, Thorns., carpenter, china, glass, and earthenware dealer, High
street
Burtt, Mrs. Ann Greyhound, Leighton st
Button, John, tin plate worker and brazier, High street
Castleden, Mr. George, George street
Cawthra, Mr&. Maria, High street
Circuitt, Miss Mary, High street
Clarke, Elizabeth and Jane, day school, High street
Clarke, George Bowdler, surgeon dentist secretary to Woburn gas and coke
company, agent to the Sun fireand life office, Park street
Clarke, Mr. George, house steward, Woburn abbey
Clarke, Isabella, druggist and grocer, proprietor of the Wheat Protector
(see advertisement), Park street
Clark, Josiah, grocer and news agent, High street -
Crofts, William, wholesale agent -for Down’s Farmer's Friend, for the
prevention of smut in wheat, High st
Cobb, William, esq. Leighton street
Conquest, John Carrington, solicitor, High st
Cook, Rev. Edward Wilson, M.A. curate, George street
Crouch, Joseph, farmer, Horsemoor farm
Crouch, Leonard, farmer, Grange farm
Cumberlege, Rev. Samuel Francis, M.A. incumbent of St. Mary’s
Davis, Miss Emma, Woburn sands
Dexter, John, registrar of births and deaths, and relieving officer,
Leighton street
Down, H. and Co. proprietors of the Farmer’s Friend, for the prevention
of smut in wheat, High street
Down, Mrs. Emma, High street
Dumpelton, John, tailor and draper, George street
Edmond, George Thomas, butcher, Chapel street
Barrow, William, pharmaceutical chemist, and tea, coffee and spice dealer,
High street
Fowler, James, maltster and brewer, Leighton street
Foxley, Benjamin, grocer, Market place
Foxley, Joseph, shopkeeper, George at
Freeman, William Edward Rogers, brewer, wine, spirit, and corn merchant,
Market place
Freeman, William Edward Rogers, grocer and chemist, agent to the London
assurance company High street
Garner, Robert, tailor, George street
Gascoyen, George; farmer, Birchmore house
Gilby, John, linen and woollen draper, High street
Green, John, solicitor, George street, clerk to the commissioners of taxes
for Redbournestoke, clerk to the magistrate, of Woburn, Leighton, and
Ampthill division, coroner for the Queen’s honour, Ampthill, clerk to
the Beds lietenancy
Green, William Frederick, George street, clerk to the commissioners of
land and property tax, for Manshead division
Green, John Thomas, esq. High street
Green, William Powell, bricklayer and plasterer, Ampthill road
Green, Emma Frances, ladies’ school, George street
Hacker, Charles, surveyor of works to the Duke of Bedford, Woburn park
Hall, Henry Holmes, blacksmith, High
Hall,Miss Ann, baker; Market place
Hilton, George, auctioneer, architect, and surveyor; Market place
Hammond, David, saddle and harness maker, High street
Hannell, Mr. William, Bleak house
Havart, Mrs. Mary Louisa, ladies’ boarding school, Drakeloe lodge
Hawkins, Benjamin Lawrence, surgeon, George street
Harland, William, stationer, Market place
Hartwell, Mrs. Charlotte, draper; Woburn sands
Harvey, Lewis, tailor and general outfitter, High street
Healey, James, Bell, High street
Heighington, William, boot and shoe-maker, High street
Heighington,, Mrs. Ann Ratliffe, the Cottage
Hensman and Sons, engineers and agricultural implement makers, Castle
works, High street
Herbert, James Andrew, upholsterer and cabinet maker, Market place
House, Eliza, milliner and draper, George street
Hill, John, Magpie inn, High street
Hudson, Thomas, grocer and butcher, Woburn sands
Jackson, Frederick, builder, Woburn sands
Kemp, George, Sun, George street
Key, Richard Charles, seq. Cousin house, Woburn sands
Kinnis, Edward, tailor and draper, High street
Knott, Mrs. Susan, greengrocer, High street
Lewis, Jesse, White Horse, Leighton street
Lilley, Robert James, pastrycook and confectioner, High street
MacCrea, Mrs. Price, George streer -
McKay, John, draper and tea dealer, Park street
Mapley, John, White Bear, Chapel street
Meallin, Mrs. Harriett, Leighton street
Millard, Peter Woods, plumber, painter and glazier, Park street
Miller, Mr. Thomas, High street
Nicholl, Peter, Wheataheaf inn, Market place
Nixon, Mary Hawtrey, builder, plumber, painter, and glazier, High street
Nottingham, William, whitesmith, Chapel street
Pearson, John, hairdresser; perfumer, and fancy repository, High street
Peeling, John Charles, printer, bookseller, stationer, paperhanger, and
house decorator; agent to the Norwich Union fire office, and the Norfolk
farmers’ cattle insurance society, High street
Perkins, William, linen and woollen draper, Bedford street
Porter, Miss Elizabeth, George street
Price, Mr. John, Park street
Purser, Charles, boot and shoemaker, George street
Reddall, Robert, watch and clock maker, George street
Reddall, Mrs. Ann, George street
Roberts, William, boot and shoemaker stamp office, High street
Robinson, William, saddle and harness maker, Market place
Roebuck, James, baker, Leighton street
Rush, Joseph, boot and shoemaker; parish clerk, Market place
Russell, Lord Charles James Fox, George street
Sanders, Edward, hay, straw, and manure dealer, Market place
Sanders, Marian, carrier and coal merchant; in connection with Chaplin and
Horne; agent to the London and North Western railway company; agent for
the sale of Burton ales and London stout, Market place
Sergeant, Joseph, postmaster; printer, bookseller, and stationer; agent to
the County fire office, and the Provident life office, High street
Slinn, Miss Elizabeth, Leighton street
Slinn, John, linen and woollen draper, George street
Smith, George Shoulder of Mutton, Leighton street
Smith, Mr. William Henry, Park street
Smith, George, town crier, George street
Smith, Peter, cooper, High street
Staniford, William, bricklayer, Leighton
Steers, John, butcher, High street
Stephens, Richard, superintendent of works, Woburn park
Thurlow, Charles, Rose and Crown, Park street
Tompkins, Francis, Birchmoor Arms
Turney, Abraham Page, grocer and provision dealer, High street
Tutt, Janice, plasterer, High street
Veasey, Henry, surgeon, High street
Weldale, Miss Susannah, George street
Whitlock, Mr. Frederick, Leighton street
Whitlock, - Frederick, timber merchant, auctioneer, and valuer
Wiseman, Mr. William, High street
Wilson, Mr. George Thomas, Park street
Wolfe, Henry Thomas, iron and brass-founder, and general ironmonger,
George street
Woodstock, Charles, chemist and druggist, Park street
Woodstock, Mr. Charles, High street
Woodward, James, land surveyor and valuer, auctioneer and estate agent,
Leighton street
Yates, Joseph, upholsterer and cabinet-maker, High street
Page last updated: 4th February 2014