KELLY'S DIRECTORY 1880
Transcribed by Derek Stone
OKEFORD FITZPAINE is a parish and village in the hundred, petty sessional division and union of Stuminster Newton, county court district of Blandford, rural deanery of Shaftesbury fourth portion, archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury, 1½ miles south-west from Shillingstone station on the Somerset and Dorset railway, 7 north- west from Blandford and 4 south-east from Sturminster Newton. The church of St Michael is in the Decorated and Perpendicular style, and consists of chancel, nave and aisles: it was thoroughly restored in 1866 at a cost of over £2,000 and contains an ancient stone pulpit, which was turned into a font about a hundred years ago by the then rector (Rev D Butler), but again replaced at the last restoration: three stained windows have recently been placed in the chancel, representing the closing scenes of Our Lord's life: the centre one is to the memory of the late rector. The register dates from the year 1533. The living is a rectory; the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £490, with residence and glebe of 74 acres, in the gift of Lord Rivers and held by the Rev. John Henry Phillips B.A. of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have places of worship here. There is a charity of about £15, and the interest 0f £20 derived from land, divided every two years in clothing amongst the poor. Bricks are made here. Lord Rivers is lord of the manor and Chief landowner. The soil is a deep dsandy loam; subsoil, chalk, sand and clay: The crops are chiefly grass, with some wheat, barley and roots. The area is 2,633 acres; rateable value £4,427; the population in 1871 was 701.
FIDDLEFORD is a hamlet, chiefly in this parish but partly in the parishes of Child Okeford and Sturminster Newton: it lies on the Blandford road, between Shillingstone and Sturminster Newton, and is equidistant about 2 miles from the churches of each.
Parish Clerk, Louis Loder
Post Office – James Strange, receiver.
Letters from Blandford arrive at 7 a.m.
Dispatched at 6.30 p.m.
The nearest money order office is at Shillingstone
National School,
James Head, master
Mrs Agnes Head, infants' mistress
Okeford Fitzpaine.
Phillips Rev. John Henry B.A. [rector]
Radclyffe Rev. William Frederick
Todd Alfred Charles
COMMERCIAL
Allen Joseph, farmer
Allen Thomas, farmer
Andrews Levi, farmer
Broad George, farmer
Cooke Alfred, miller
Ford Thomas, farmer
Goff George, pig dealer
Hallett Joseph, farmer
Hallett William, farmer
Lambert George, butcher
Loder Louis, carpenter
Mullett Samuel, hay dealer
Percy William, shoe maker
Phillips Edwd, grocer & general dealer
Phillips Elizabeth (Mrs), farmer
Phillips Joseph, cheese & butter factor & farmer
Pope Joseph, tailor
Ridout Benjamin Boyt, farmer
Ridout Fred, hay dealer
Ridout James, farmer
Ridout Sarah (Mrs), farmer
Ridout William, shopkeeper
Roberts George, farmer
Rose Benjamin, dairyman
Rose Thomas, New Inn
Ross Robert, farmer
Ross William, farmer, Southley
Sticklen William, cattle dealer
Strange James, boot & shoe maker
Thorne Joshua, boot & shoe maker
Tizzard William, blacksmith
Todd Alfred Charles, brick & tile manufacturer & farmer
Trent Matthew, farmer
Trowbridge Edward, carpenter
Wareham James, grocer
Woolfrey George, Royal Oak
Young Joseph, boot & shoe maker
Fiddleford
Adams Philip Chas, brewer & maltster
Caines James, Travellers Rest
Cressey Silas, fellmonger
Rose Samuel, miller
Swain John, gamekeeper to W.W Connopp seq
Topp Charles, butcher
White William, blacksmith
Wilds William & Son, wood dealers