IRON-ACTON is a parish in Chipping Sodbury union, containing, by the census of 1861, 1234, and in 1871, 1189 inhabitants, and 2927 acres of land; in the deanery of Hawkesbury, archdeaconry of Bristol, diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, hundreds of Grumbalds Ash and Thornbury, West Gloucestershire, on the Thornbury branch of the Midland Railway, which has a station here; 1 and a half mil north-west from Yate, 5 and a half south-east from Thornbury, 3 north-west from Chipping Sodbury, and 9 north-east from Bristol. The rectory, in the incumbency of the Rev. John Salter, M.A., is valued at £714 per annum, with residence, and is in the patronage of Christ Church, Oxford. The church is an ancient edifice, dedicated to St. James, in the Later English style, consisting of nave, chancel, north and south aisles, and a noble tower, which was erected by Robert Poynz, to whose memory there is a monument in the church. The Independents and Wesleyans have places of worship here, and there is a National School for children of both sexes. The poor have charitable bequests producing about £10 yearly. Tradition states that an extensive forest formerly existed here, and that iron ore was dug to a considerable extent, and the name was originally "Iron Oak Town," hence its present derivation. Walter Long, Esq., is lord of the manor. Cattle fairs are held annually on the 25th April and the 18th September. The rateable value of this parish is £6013.

 

IRON-ACTON

Clergy and Gentry

GIBBS Mrs. Sarah

OWEN Edmund Lloyd, Esq., Acton lodge

RAY Henry, Carpenter, Esq.

RAY Mrs. Susan

SALTER Rev. John, M.A., The Rectory

SHIPP Mrs. Ann

WINTER Mrs. Emblin, Ivy Lodge

 

Trades and Professions

AMOS Edwin, bootmaker

BOULTON George, farmer

CLUTTERBUCK Andrew, stationmaster

DANIELL William, farmer, New Lodge

DOUGHTY Randal James, grocer and draper

FRY William, carpenter and builder

FUGILL John, wheelwright, machinist, sub-postmaster, and parish clerk

GIBBS William (late Stephen Gibbs), miller, Nibley mill

GIBBS Mrs., farmer and miller, Nibley mills

HENDY William, hay and straw dealer

HOLDER Jonathan, "White Hart"

HOWARD John, tailor

KENDALL Solomon, bootmaker

LIMBRICK John, registrar of births and deaths for Iron-Acton district

MAINSTONE Alfred, shopkeeper

MAINSTONE Mark, shopkeeper and hay and straw dealer

MILLS Robert, stonemason and tiler

NICHOLS John, farmer and malster, Court farm

NICHOLS Mrs. Sarah, shopkeeper

PARKER Thomas, "Crown", and farmer

PHILLIPS James, farmer

RATHBONE Mrs. Elizabeth, beer retailer

SHEPHERD Jeffery, saddler and harness maker

SIMMONDS John, smith and implement maker

SMITH John, farmer, Pool farm

SMITH Thomas, farmer, Mudgedown

STICKLER William, blacksmith

WASHBOURNE John, "Codrington Arms"

WICKHAM Henry, farmer

WILLIAMS Charles, farmer

 

ACTON ILGAR

Clergy and Gentry

 

BRAIN Mr. Aaron, The Laurels

CROOME Mrs. Susan

GOODRICK Rev. John, curate

SHIP Mrs. Sarah

 

Trades and Professions

CANN Miss Ann, shopkeeper

CODRINGTON Robert, "Lamb"

GIBBS Joseph, farmer

GIBBS William, farmer, Hill house

HEELDEN James, National schoolmaster

KEEPING Mrs., farmer

SHEPHERD Christopher, farmer, Chelwood

SHIPP Robert, farmer

WALL William, beer retailer

 

LATTERIDGE

Trades and Professions

BLANCHE Mrs. Francis, farmer, Two Poles

BLANCHE Jonathan, farmer

BURGESS George, market gardener

CULLEMORE James, carpenter, wheelwright, and undertaker

ILES Robert, bootmaker

MEREDITH Mark Crossman, yeoman

PALMER Daniel, cattle dealer

PARRY Joseph, yeoman, Sheephouse

ROACH Charles, farmer

ROACH James, farmer, Folly farm

TAYLOR James, yeoman, Camm farm

TAYLOR William, farmer, Sheeps house

 

Post Office - John Fugill, sub-postmaster. Letters from Bristol delivered at 8.45 a.m.; dispatched at 3.45 p.m. Frampton Cotterell is the nearest money order office.

Police Station - John Davies, constable in charge.

National School - James Hedden, master; Miss E. Hedden, mistress.

Midland Railway - Andrew Clutterbuck, stationmaster.

Conveyance - Stinchcombe's omnibus from Wotton-under-Edge to Bristol, passes through on Tues, Thurs, and Sat.

Carriers - Bristol - John Mainstone, Wed and Sat, at 8 a.m.; Gabb, from Wotton-under-Edge, passes through Mon and Fri.

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