Kelly's Directory of Essex

1882, 1886, 1894, 1902

Kellys Essex Directories

The first part of all directories are almost identical, they read as follows:
Canvey Island, which is united to South Benfleet at low water by a causeway across Hadleigh Ray, was formed into a civil and ecclesiastical parish in 1881 and was originally part of the parishes of Bowers Gifford, Hadleigh, North Benfleet, Laindon, Pitsea, Prittlewell, South Benfleet, Southchurch and Vange: it is supposed by some to be the Counos or Covennos Insula of the ancient geographer Ptolemy, a name assigned by others to the Isle of Sheppy and is a marsh island of the Thames, defended by high banks all round, erected in 1623; it forms a very rich grazing ground, with a large quantity of arable land. Here is a coastguard station with a chief officer and eight men. The nearest station is South Benfleet, two miles north, on the London, Tilbury and Southend railway: it is in the Southern division of the county, Rochford union and county court district, rural deanery of Rochford, archdeaconry of Essex and diocese of St Albans. The church of St Katherine consists of chancel, nave and two transepts and a small belfry, with spire, containing 1 bell and was erected in 1875 in the place of a structure dating from 1712, the only portions of which remaining are some windows and the porch. The register dates from the year 1819; previous to which date the entries were made in the South Benfleet register.

1882 Kelly’s Directory

The 1882 directory continues:
The living is a vicarage, yearly value £150, in the gift of the Bishop of St Albans and held by the Rev. Henry Hayes, Theological Associate of King’s College, London. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and Captain Bird. This island is 6 miles long by 3 broad and contains about 6,000 acres; rateable value £4,297; the population in 1881 was 280.

Parish clerk, Joseph Hills.
Letters received from Chelmsford & London. Rayleigh is the nearest money order & telegraph office.
Coast Guard Station, –Liddell, Chief Officer
National School (mixed), for 60 children, Mrs Alice Bull, mistress.

Hayes Rev. Henry T.A.K.C.L.,  Vicarage
Liddell – , chief officer of coast guard
Beckwith Charles, Lobster Smack
Bird Abraham, beer retailer
Drawbridge Thomas, grocer.

1886 Kelly’s Directory

The 1886 Directory continues:
The living is a vicarage, tithe rent-charge £60, grass yearly value £200, in the gift of the Bishop of St. Albans and held since 1872 by the Rev. Henry Hayes, Theological Associate of Kings College, London. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, trustees of late Sir Arundel Weave and F. Montgomerie esq. This island is 6 miles
long by 3 broad, and contains 4,327 acres of land and 4,923 of water; rateable value, £4,668; the population in 1881 was 282.

Parish Clerk, Joseph Hills.
Letter Box cleared at 12.45. Letters received from Chelms­ford & London. South Benfleet is the nearest money order & telegraph office
Coast Guard Station, Williams Jenkins, chief officer
National School (mixed), for 60 children; average attend­ance, 50; Mrs Alice Bull, mistress

Hayes Rev. Henry T.A.K.C.L. Vicarage
Beckwith Charles, Lobster Smack P.H
Bird Abraham, beer retailer
Farrow James, farm bailiff to Ecclesi­astical Commissioners
Jenkins Wm.chief officer of Coastguard
Keeling SI. farm bailiff to Wm.Clark esq
Mott Wm. farm bailiff to Mrs. Aspin
Turnnidge James, grocer

1894 Kelly’s Directory

The 1894 Directory continues:
The living is a vicarage, average tythe rent-charge £38, net yearly value £220, with glebe (£10) and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of St Albans, and held since 1872 by Rev Henry HayesT.A.K.C.L Here is a coastguard station, with a chief officer and eight men. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the trustees of the late Sir John Arundel Neave bart. And F Montgomerie esq. The island is 6 miles long by 3 broad, and contains 4,327 acres of land and 4,923 of water; rateable value, £3,758; the population in 1891 was 342.

Parish Clerk, Joseph Hills
Post Office.-John Scott, sub-postmaster. Letters received from South Benfleet S O at 9am; dispatched 1.15pm. South Benfleet is the nearest money order and telegraph office. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.
Coast Guard Station, Joseph Dollimore RN chief officer
National School (mixed), built in 1874, for 75 children; average attendance, 65; Wm. John Sully, master

Cox. E.H.
Hayes Rev. Hy. T.A.K.C.L Vicarage
Paul William H
Beckwith Chas, Lobster Smack PH
Dollimore Joseph RN, chief officer of coastguard
Farrow James, farm bailiff to Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Foster William, farmer, Knightswick farm
Leach Aaron, farm bailiff to A Manning esq
Mott William, farm bailiff to Mrs Asplin
Sach Jn, farm bailiff to Wm. Clark, esq
Scott John, grocer, Post office
Smith Wm. Beer retailer & shopkeeper

1902 Kellys Directory

The 1902 directory continues:
The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £220, with glebe (£10) and residence, in the gift of the Bishop of St Albans, and held by the Rev. Watson Hagger M.A. of St John’s College, Cambridge. Here is a coastguard station, with a chief officer and seven men. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Sir Thomas Lewis Hughes Neave bart. Of Dagenham Park,  Romford, and Messrs. A.M.& G. Clark. The island is 6 miles long by 3 broad, and contains 4,327 acres of land, 56 of water, 2,696 of tidal water and 2,171 of foreshore; rateable value, £3,199; the population in 1901 was 300.

Parish Clerk, Joseph Hills.
Post Office-Harry Game, sub-postmaster. Letters received from South Benfleet SO at 9am; dispatched 1.15pm. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. South Benfleet is the nearest money order & telegraph office, 2 ½ miles distant.
Coast Guard Station, Wm T Venson RN, chief officer
National School (mixed), built 1874, for 75 children; average attendance, 62; James William Clarke, master

Cox E,H,
Hagger Rev. Watson M.A. (vicar) Vicarage
Hand Miss, The Laurels
Paul William H
Beckwith, Chas. Lobster Smack PH
Filmer Edward, Police constable
Game Harry, grocer, post office
Harrison John, farmer, Waterside frm
Leach Aaron, farm bailiff to trustees of A Manning esq.
Kynoch’s Explosives Co Ltd. Bridgehouse farm
Sach John, farm bailiff to Messrs A.M.& G. Clark, Charfleets farm
Turnnidge James John, farmer
Venson William T., RN chief officer of Coastguard
Waterman Edward, farm bailiff to William Foster esq. Knightswick frm
White Wm. Beer retailer & shopkeeper
Woods George, baker

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