Although none of us were around in 1853 a business directory offers a glance back to into how life was like in Gedling borough 172 years ago.
“White’s Directory” was a historical directory published by William White, that was primarily focused on towns and counties in England, which included detailed information about residents, businesses, and local geography.
The directories included residential listings, business details, local landmarks, and sometimes even historical information about the area.
Here’s how they recorded life back in 1853.
It said that Gedling Parish comprised of three townships of Gedling, Carlton and Stoke Bardolph, with a ‘population of 2,922 souls and 4,490 acres of land’.
Gedling is a small village with 402 inhabitants, situated 4 miles east-north-east of Nottingham, in a picturesque valley which opens into the vale of the Trent. It contains 1,626 acres of strong clay land. The Earl of Chesterfield is lord of the manor and patron of the rectory, and owns 785 acres. Earl Manvers owns 693 acres, and William Stamford Burnside Esq. also has an estate here. The latter resides at Gedling House, a beautiful modern mansion on a steep declivity overlooking the Trent.
The rectory, before the dissolution of the abbeys, belonged to the monastery of Shelford, and also had a vicarage to which they presented. The rectory is valued in the King’s books at £14 6s, and the vicarage at £6 16s 8d, now worth £1,075. It received at the enclosure in 1793 three large allotments of land in lieu of tithes. The Rev. Charles Williams is the incumbent. The church, dedicated to All Saints, has a nave and side aisles, is neatly pewed and has an organ, erected in 1808. It has a handsome lofty spire and four bells. In the body of the church are several handsome marble tablets, one of which remembers the late William E. Elliott Esq., who died in January 1844. His kindness and benevolence knew no bounds, and the poor of the surrounding parishes have lost a tried friend.
The poor land consists of 7a 0r 17p in Arnold, let for £14 15s per annum, and was purchased in 1733 with £122 10s, which had been bequeathed to the poor of the whole parish, who have also the dividends of £550 9s 2d consolidated 3 per cents, left in 1779 by Bishop Chenevix. Those of Carlton formerly had 20s yearly out of the estate of the late John Aslin, who died in 1803, but the poor have lost their claim through the carelessness of a trustee, who misplaced the title deeds. The feast is on the Sunday after All Saints, or on that day when it falls on a Sunday.
Carlton, 3 miles east by north of Nottingham, is the largest village and township in the parish, having 1,404 acres of land and 2,329 inhabitants, many of whom are employed in hosiery manufacture, there being upwards of 420 stocking frames in the village. The hills near the town command extensive views of Nottingham and the vale of the Trent. The Earl of Chesterfield is the principal owner, but the Rev. Charles Williams and Earl Manvers have estates here, the latter of whom is lord of the manor. The Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1801, the Baptist Chapel in 1823 and the Wesleyan Association in 1844. A Court Leet is held by the Earl of Chesterfield in April, and another by Earl Manvers in October. The feast is on the first Sunday in November. The Midland Company’s railway passes through this village and has a neat station here.
Stoke Bardolph is a small village and township upon the Trent bank, two miles east by south of Gedling, and five miles east of Nottingham. It has 191 inhabitants amd 1,054 acres of land, which was enclosed in 1793 when an allotment was made in lieu of tithes. The Earl of Chesterfield and Earl Manvers are the principal owners, and joint lords of the manor. It had anciently a small chapel, but no remains are now left of it. The Earl of Chesterfield, in 1843, gave about one rood of land, near the site on which it formerly stood, on which is erected a neat ornamental chapel, with a turret and bell. The rector of Gedling is the officiating minister. A short distance south-east of the church there formerly stood a castle of considerable extent, surrounded by a moat, the interior of which was upwards of two acres. It was the residence of the Lords Bardolf, to which the entire lordship anciently belonged. The feast is held on the Sunday after St Luke’s. A ferry crosses the Trent to Shelford.
