KELLY'S DIRECTORY 1939
Transcribed for the OPC Project by Annette Rose
Okeford Fitzpaine is a parish and village 1-1/4 miles south-west from Shillingstone station on the London, Midland and Scottish and Southern joint line, 7 north-west from Blandford and 3-1/2 south-east from Sturminster Newton, in the Northern division of the county, hundred, petty sessional division and rural district of Sturminster, county court district of Blandford, rural deanery of Sturminster Newton, archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. Under the operation of the divided Parishes Act, a portion of the parish of Belchalwell has for civil purposes only been added to this parish, and the remainder to Fifehead Neville, Electricity is available. Water is supplied by the Sturminster Newton Rural District Council. The water supply of the Sturminster rural district was inaugurated by the Rural District Council in 1935, the water being obtained from a spring called Cook well. The church of St. Andrew is a building of stone in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, aisles, north porch and an embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing 6 bells: the ancient stone pulpit, used as a font in the 18 th century by the Rev. Duke Butler, rector 1750-80, has since been restored to its original purpose: there is a memorial window to the Rev, G, Rivers Hunter, 52 years rector here, and the west window was erected in 1914 in memory of the Rev. Robert Cholmeley Price, a former curate in charge, and of Florence his wife: there are stained windows in the north and south aisles erected by Miss Mabel Phillips to her parents and brother respectively: the church was thoroughly restored in 1866: there are 344 sittings. The register of baptisms dates from the year 1592; burials, 1593, and marriages, 1594. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £640, and residence, in the gift of Capt. G.H.L. Fox-Pitt-Rivers, and held since 1914 by the Rev. Frank Etheridge, of the Church Missionary College , Islington. There are Methodist chapels here and one at Fiddleford. The Reading Room was erected in 1910 by subscription. A charity of about £7, derived from land in Hazelbury Bryan, is distributed annually in clothing amongst the poor, There are brick and tile works belonging to Capt. G.H.Lane Fox-Pitt-Rivers, who is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is a deep sandy loam; subsoil, chalk, sand and clay. The land is chiefly in pasture, with some wheat, barley and roots. The area is 3,739 acres of land and 3 of water; the population in 1931 was 580 in the civil and 494 in the ecclesiastical parish.
Fiddleford is a hamlet, transferred in 1884 by Local Government Board Order from Child Okeford to Okeford Fitzpaine; it lies on the road from Sturminster Newton to Blandford, between Shillingstone and Sturminster Newton, and is equi-distant about 2 miles from the church of each. The hamlet is partly in the parish of Sturminster Newtion.
Post, M.O. & T. Office. Letters through Blandford
Post Office, Fiddleford. Letters through Blandford, Sturminster Newton nearest M.O. & T. office
Police Station
Carrier.-Charles Fripp, to Blandford, thurs. & Sturminster Newton alternate mon
OKEFORD FITZPAINE
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
(For T N's see general list of Private Residents at end of book.)
Dainton Thomas, Newhaven
Etheridge Rev. Frank (rector), Rectry
Miller Jasper, Yeatmans
Saunders Philip, Stresa
Sticklen John T., Cranleigh
COMMERCIAL
Marked thus * farm 150 acres or over.
Adams Wltr. Jas. carpenter
Allen Edwd,. Thos. St Loe, farmer, St. Loe's farm
*Balch Regnld. Cecil Wilfred, farmer, Room & Hyle farms
Dimond Tom, farmer, Southlea farm, Lower Fifehead (postal address, Fifehead Neville, Sturminster Newton)
Elkins Geo. Insur, agt
Field Absolom William, threshing machine proprietor
Fox Joseph, blacksmith
Fripp Chas. motor car propr. Childe Okeford 26
Herrington Jas. farmer, Langston fm
Hilliar Frank, farmer, Rose Hill farm
Kingman Francis Henry, farmer, Bellease farm
Lemon Albert Jas. builder & contractor undertaker, carpenter, joiner & wheelwright
* Miller Hector, farmer, Pleydells & Yeatman's farms
Morley Frank, grocer, & post office. Childe Okeford 47
New Inn (Hy. Jas. Hallett)
Okeford Fitzpaine Brick & Tile Works (F. Cowley, mngr.) (postal address, Shillingstone, Blandford). Child Okeford 32
Okeford United Football Club (A. Trowbridge, sec)
Perceval Jn. Landsdowne M.R.C.S. Eng. , L.R.C.P. Lond. Physcn. & surgeon (attends tues.), Brooklyn
Perrett Edwin Percym farmer, Stroud farm
Phillis E. & Son, wholesale dairy produce merchants, Hill View dairies. T A “Phipson, Okeford Fitzpaine;” T N Child Okeford 4
Phillips Stanley Eli, farmr, Etheridge farm
Pope Frank Nevill, farmer, Thornhill farm
Pope Nellie L. (Miss), farmer, Longhills farm
Pope Wilfred, smallholder, Brookside
Reading Room (Parish Council) (H. Bayden, sec)
Ricketts Wltr. Farmer, Malthouse frm
Ricketts Wm. Chas. farmer, Garlands farm
Ridout Fras. H. farmer, Castle farm
Ridout Reginald Frank, farmer, horse contractor & tobacconist, Gorse farm (letters should be addressed Fifehead Neville, Sturminster Newton)
* Ridout Tom Rhesa, farmer, Mill & Sheephays farms
Rose Mary (Mrs), insur. agt
Rose Rt. Farmer, The Common
Royal Oak P.H. (Wm. Geo. Cole)
Trowbridge Adelbert Geo. wheelwrght
Trowbridge Annie (Miss), shopkpr
Trowbridge Edwd. motor car propr Child Okeford 50
Trowbridge Edwin Geo. Thatcher, Church farm
Trowbridge Herbt. Jas. farmer, Darknell house
Trowbridge Maurice, farmer, Knackers's Knole
Trowbridge Reuben Jn. R, farmer, Knowle farm
Trowbridge Rt. Chas, farmer, Stolfoll farm
Trowbridge Wltr, Jn. farmer, Bankhill, Okeford common
Woolridge Hy. & Wm. Frms, Merry gdn
Yeatman Maurice Jn. farmer, Lowbrook farm
Young Robert, boot & shoe maker
FIDDLEFORD
COMMERCIAL.
Marked thus * farm 150 acres or over.
Crew Cornelius, fishmngr
Cross William, farmer, Angers farm
Ridout Jas. Hilliar, grocer, & post office. Sturminster Newtion 65
* Rose Rd. Ivor, farmer
Trowbridge Regnld. E. farmer, Angers farm