Kingston Bagpuize, Berkshire (Oxfordshire since 1974)
The Post Office, A Chronology
Introduction
This piece was originally written for Jill Muir's Kingston Bagpuize site and a copy has been put into the archive of the Longworth and District History Society. Although none of our ancestors was involved in running the post office, I have included it here for interest.
From sometime between the 1871 and 1881 censuses until about 1914, the post office at Kingston Bagpuize was run by my GGG Aunt, Ann Maria Jefferies (nee Joyce), and then by her son, James Henry Jefferies.
In compiling the chronology, I relied heavily on information supplied by Jill and the Society and on Peter Keene's Book Kingston Bagpuize A Sense of Place. Other information came from my own research and Jill has added further information.
Chronology
Pre 1844 The answers.com and Wikipedia web sites both have the following (obviously written by the same person) - The GPO created a network of post offices where senders could submit items. All post was transferred from the post office of origination to distribution points called sorting stations, and from there the post was then sent on for delivery to the receiver of the post. Initially it was the recipient of the post who paid the fee, and he had the right to refuse to accept the item if he did not wish to pay. The charge was based on the distance the item had been carried so the GPO had to keep a separate account for each item. In 1840 the Penny Post was introduced, which incorporated the two key innovations of a uniform postal rate, which cut administrative costs and encouraged use of the system, and adhesive pre-paid stamps.
1844 According to the British Postal Museum and Archive there was a Post Office in Kingston Bagpuize by 1844. It came under the district of Abingdon. They also say that the “i” in Bagpuize was not introduced until 1932. However the spelling seems to be inconsistent, because the name is spelt with the "i" in at least two directories before this date - the 1848 and 1915 Kelly's Directory of Berkshire.
1844 Pigot's Directory does not have an entry for Kingston Bagpuize, but the entry for Abingdon says that a Mr George Shepherd is the post master and that letters from Kingston arrive every night at seven and are dispatched thereto every morning at six.
1847 The Post Office Directory shows that Mr George Shepherd, a baker, is living at the Post Office. He may, therefore, have been the village’s first postmaster/receiver. The name is a coincidence; he is not the same person as the George Shepherd in Abingdon.
1848 Kelly’s Berkshire Directory states that Alexander Murdoch was at the Post Office and he is described as the receiver. He is also shown to be the landlord at the Hind’s Head Inn. These details are given - Letters arrive from Abingdon at ½ past 8 am and despatched 5pm. The post office entry is separate from the entry for the Hind’s Head. It is not clear, therefore, whether the post office was a separate building.
The Directory also shows that Mr George Shepherd is still the Post Master at Abingdon and that foot messengers were despatched at 6 am from Abingdon for Kingston Bagpuize.
1851 George Shepherd is listed in the Kingston Bagpuize census as a baker, but there is no mention of any postal duties. There are, however, two men described as ‘Postboy’. They are William Smith, aged 40, and William Walker, aged 60. It is not possible to get an idea from the census book of where in the village they lived, as very few places are named. There are no other entries relating to the post.
Draycott Moor, Longworth and Hinton Waldrist – A Diversion – In the 1848 Kelly Berkshire Directory for Abingdon, there is no mention of post being sent to Draycott Moor, Longworth or Hinton Waldrist. Under the individual entries for Longworth and Hinton Waldrist (spelt Waldrish), it just says that letters are received through the Abingdon office. (Draycott Moor does not have its own entry.) I have looked through the 1851 census for Draycott Moor, Longworth and Hinton Waldrist and can find no mention of postal services. I wonder whether this means that their post was sent to Kingston Bagpuize and then taken on by the post boys. Two post boys for a small village such as Kingston Bagpuize does seem excessive, and Kingston Bagpuize does stand on the main road to Abingdon.
1854 The Billings Directory shows the sub-postmaster to be George Shepherd, but does not give a dwelling place.
1854 The Post Office Directory of Berkshire, Northants, etc says that the receiver is George Shepherd. Letters arrive from Abingdon at 10 am and the other George Shepherd is still the post master at Abingdon. Foot messengers are dispatched to Kingston Bagpuze (sic) at 6 am – receiving house – Kingston Bagpuze.
1861 In the census, George Shepherd is shown as a baker, living in the baker’s shop, but again, there is no mention of postal duties. His entry lies between that for the Hind’s Head and the Day School. There are no other entries relating to the post.
1868 According to Cassey's Directory, George Shepherd was the baker and postmaster.
1869 Kelly's Directory shows George Shepherd as the baker and receiver. Letters arrive from Abingdon at 8am; dispatched at 6.25pm; Sundays 12 noon. The nearest money order office is at Abingdon.
1871 In the census, George Shepherd is shown as a baker and mealman, living in the bake house, but yet again, there is no mention of postal duties. There are no other entries relating to the post in the census.
As George Shepherd was a baker it seems likely that the post office was in the Corner House at the junction of Abingdon Road and Oxford Road.
1872 The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales just says that there is a post office, of the name Kingston, under Abingdon.
1876 On the OS map, there is a post office shown on the west side of Abingdon Road by the junction with Faringdon Road and by the weighbridge. (The map is shown in Peter Keene’s book Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor a Sense of Place)
1876 Harrod & Co’s Directory of Beds, Bucks, etc., does not mention a PO in the village but says that the nearest money order, telegraph office and post town is at Abingdon. (In the directory, the “i” is missing from Bagpuize.) I assume that there must have been at least a receiver in the village.
1881 The census shows that the post mistress was Maria Jefferies living in the post office. The entry for her is immediately before that for the Hind’s Head. I do not know when she took over the job. My feeling is that she was probably in the post office shown in the OS map mentioned above, as in the census, the post office is at the bottom of page 17 with schedule number 89 and the Hind’s Head is at the top of page 18, with the schedule number 90. However, in the census, the Corner House is not named and there is no sign of a baker, so perhaps she was in the Corner House/Bake House? (See next entry.)
There are no other entries in the census relating to the post.
1883 A map of Kingston Bagpuize, dated 1883, on www.old-maps.co.uk shows the post office to be still in the same place as the OS map of 1876. This, I think, confirms that Maria was post mistress here and then moved to the semi-detached in Faringdon Road between about 1883 and 1891.
1891 The census shows that Maria Jefferies was still the post mistress. By this time, however, the post office is clearly in the Faringdon Road. This would have been in the western half of the second pair of semi-detached cottages west of the junction with School Road.(See entry for 1900)
There is [on this census] a Hannah Money, aged 59, living in Kingston Street and described as a Letter Carrier.
1892 A telegraph office was opened at the post office. (Postal Museum information) Approval for constructing the telegraph line from Abingdon to Kingston Bagpuize, via Marcham, was given at a Berkshire County Council meeting on 23 April 1892, as reported in the Reading Mercury of 30 April 1892.
1899 The Kelly Directory has Maria’s son, James Henry Jefferies, as the sub-post master. It says that postal orders are issued but not paid.
1900 A money order saving bank opened at the post office. (Postal Museum information)
Four maps of Kingston Bagpuize, dated 1899, 1900, 1914 and 1916 on www.old-maps.co.uk, suggest that the post office is in the second building past School Lane heading west along Faringdon Road.
The picture on page 20 of Peter Keene’s book, taken perhaps during WW1, is, I think, this building, which is a pair of semi-detached cottages. Judging by the shadows, the photograph seems to have been taken about mid-day in high summer, with the photographer standing in Faringdon Road to the south west of the building. On the right of the photograph, through the trees, one can just see part of the gable end of another building and the sloping roof of an extension. As we know, from the photograph on page 24 of the book, the pairs of semis west of School Lane are identical.
1901 The census shows James as the sub-post master, but the address is just Kingston Village. It seems likely though that the post office was still the same as when Maria was there. As James was living in the post office in 1891, while working as an agricultural labourer, it is possible that he succeeded his mother at the post office when she died in 1892, but this is not at all conclusive.
In the household next to James Jefferies in the census there is a 14 year old lad called Percival Ricketts, described as a Telegraph Boy, working from home. Hannah Money, now a widow, is still a Letter Carrier.
1911 The census shows James Henry Jeffries as the Sub-Post Master and domestic gardener. His niece, Alice Maude Bestley, is shown as Clerk to the Sub-Post Master and also living in the post office.
About 1900 to 1914 On page 12 of Sybil Beard's book Letter to Pippa, there is a mention of a Mrs Jefferies running a sweet shop in the cottage where her husband used to run the PO and Mrs Russell has the PO/Newsagent three doors away next to School Lane. Between them were a stud groom and the policeman. My guess would be that Mr and Mrs Jeffries ran a combined PO/Sweet shop and she continued with the shop when Mr J died and the PO passed to Mrs Russell. She also says that the four cottages were yellow.
About 1900 to 1920’s Mrs Sutton in her recollections said that at the turn at the century the post was brought from Abingdon by Mr King on his bicycle. Richard Cox adds that he continued doing this until well into the 1920s and that on one occasion he had to be rescued on his return journey to Abingdon in a heavy snowstorm. As the mail increased, it was delivered twice a day.
1912 The Vale of the White Horse Directory shows that James Jefferies is still the sub-postmaster.
1915 The Vale of the White Horse Directory has a Mr Lane as the sub-postmaster
1915 Kelly’s Directory has the following entry – Post M.O., T. & Telephonic Express Delivery Office. Miss Lilian Taylor, sub-postmistress. Letters arrive from Abingdon at 8am and 2.50 pm; dispatched at 3.15 and 6.15 pm; Sundays 11.5 am.
About 1915 to 1920 Sybil Beard, in her recollections, says that during and shortly after WWI, the post office was held by the Drew Family at the Corner House, and that they also ran a bakery and small store (including stationery). She then says that the post office was run by Mrs Russell at the corner of School Lane. This suggests that it was then in the house next door to the one where Maria and James Jefferies had it, i.e. the eastern half of the pair of semi-detached cottages next to School Lane. This recollection seems to miss out Miss Taylor (previous and next entry).
1920 Kelly’s Directory has Miss Lilian Taylor as post mistress and grocer. It is not clear whether she would have been in the Corner House or by School Lane.
1928 The Kelly's Directory has Mrs Mary Russell at the post office.
1936 The photograph on page 24 of Peter Keene’s book shows the cottage next to School Lane to be displaying signs, presumably for the post office.
Unknown date. Colin Smith in his recollections says that Elsie Kimber came from Fyfield to run the Southmoor post office. I cannot date this and I am not sure whether the Southmoor post office is different. [This is Kingston Post Office J.M.]
Unknown date. Jim Soden, in his recollections, says that sometime after 1935/36 May Timms lived in the lived in the post office.
Unknown date. The post office was then taken over by Mr and Mrs Garrett, who ran it for a few years.
1956 PO taken over by Mr and Mrs Garrett’s son and his wife.
Unknown date. At some point, the post office was moved to the south side of Faringdon Road and just west of the Stone House. The building was set back from the road. I think that the move across the road took place during the tenure of the senior Garretts, but I am not sure.
1989 The post office was then run for a short while by an Irishman, Kieran Brennan. After this it was taken over by Shirley Squires, who had previously helped out. After a couple of armed robberies, she sold the old building and had a new and more secure post office built nearer to the road.
Summary of post officials and possible locations
| Dates (Approximate) | Official | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1844 - 1847 | Not known | Not known |
| 1847 – 1873 | George Shepherd | Corner House or PO by weighbridge? |
| Unknown Date | Alexander Murdoch | Corner House or PO by weighbridge? |
| 1881 –1892 | Maria Jefferies | Possibly first by weighbridge in Abingdon Road and then Faringdon Road in pair of semi-detached cottages by School Lane (Western Half) |
| 1892 - 1915 | James Henry Jefferies | Probably Faringdon Road as for Maria Jefferies |
| 1915 – | Mr Lane | Location Not known |
| 1915 - 1920 | Miss Lilian Taylor | Location Not known |
| 1915 –1920 | Drew Family | Corner House |
| 1928 | Mrs Russell | Faringdon Road North Side in pair of semi-detached cottages by School Lane (Eastern Half)? |
| Unknown Date | Elsie Kimber | Faringdon Road North Side in pair of semi-detached cottages by School Lane (Eastern Half)? As for Mrs Russell? |
| Unknown Date | Mr and Mrs Garrett Snr | As for Mrs Russell and then Faringdon Road – South Side, just west of Stone House ? |
| 1956 - 6 Jan 1989 | Mr and Mrs John Garrett Jnr | Faringdon Road – South Side, just west of Stone House? |
| 6 Jan 1989 -Unknown Date | Kieran Brennan | Faringdon Road – South Side, just west of Stone House |
| Unknown Date | Shirley Squires | Faringdon Road – South Side, just west of Stone House - then new purpose built building just in front of old one, situated on main Faringdon Road |
| Unknown Date | Andrew and Carolyn Roberts | Purpose built building just in front of old one, situated on main Faringdon Road, as Shirley Squires |
Further information on some of the people mentioned.
William Smith* was born in Witney, Oxfordshire about 1811. In the 1841 census he is described as a Male Servant, in the 1861 census as a cotter and in the 1871 census as an unemployed ag lab. He was buried in Kingston Bagpuize on 19 Oct 1873 at the age of 70. There is no [remaining] memorial stone.
William Walker* was born in Southmoor about 1791. He was buried in Kingston Bagpuize on 8 May 1853 aged 62. In the 1841 census he is described as an agricultural labourer and in the 1851 census he is also described as a pauper. There is a memorial stone with the inscription – [In] Memory of William Walker who departed this life May [eroded] aged 62 years.
Alexander Murdoch – His burial at Kingston took place 8 February 1848 aged 62 and in 1849 January 19 that of a Jane MURDOCK aged 64. There is no [remaining] memorial stone and there appears to be no further information on this family.
George Shepherd was buried in Kingston Bagpuize on 23 Sep 1873 at the age of 57. He had been baptised there on 5 Jul 1816 to George, a farmer, and Sarah. George SHEPHERD (senior) had married Sarah HISSEY (of Longworth) at Kingston Bagpuize on 6 Apr 1813.
George married Elizabeth SHILLINGFORD at Longworth Parish Church 6th November 1843. George was a Farmer and widower and son of Joseph Farmer, whilst Elizabeth was the daughter of John Bradford SHILLINGFORD who was a Southmoor Farmer. It is likely that Elizabeth was baptised at Standlake 9 Jun 1813, daughter of John, a dealer and Mary.
George and his wife Elizabeth baptised a daughter Mary Sophia on 29 October 1840 and a son Martin on 23 January 1842. In 1840 George was described as a farmer but by 1842 he was a baker.
George junior was declared bankrupt in January 1872.
Ann Maria Jefferies, née Joyce, and known throughout her life as Maria, was born in Hinton Waldrist about 1818 to James Joyce and Sarah Griffin. On 1 May 1841 in Kingston Bagpuize she married Moses Jeffries, the seventh and youngest son of Henry Jeffries and Ann Belcher. Moses, an agricultural labourer, died of Typhus Fever on 27 January 1849 at the age of 31.
In censuses before 1881, she is not shown as having an occupation and, indeed, in 1851 she and her children were living with her parents and she was described as a pauper. It is not known how she supported herself and her children, between Moses’s death and getting the post mistress’s job.
In the final column of the 1881 census there is an entry which seems, by comparing it with known letters, to say ‘Affl 29 years’. I wondered whether ‘Affl’ stands for Affliction, and whether, therefore, she suffered from a long term disability of some sort.
James Henry Jefferies was the elder of Moses and Maria’s two children. Before becoming sub-post master, he worked as an agricultural labourer. He was baptised in Kingston Bagpuize on 2 Jul 1844, and on 5 May 1871 he married Mary BESTLEY in Kingston Bagpuize. It is not known when he died or ceased to be the sub-post master. It seems that he was probably succeeded as sub-postmaster by Mr Lane, perhaps on his death. James and Mary do not seem to have had any children of their own, but the censuses show that two nieces and a nephew lived with them for a time.
Alice Maud Bestley, one of the nieces, is described in the 1901 census as a post office assistant.
Percival Ricketts, born in Kingston Bagpuize about 1887, was the son of William Ricketts, Carpenter and Wheelwright, and his wife, Mary.
Hannah Money was the wife of George Money, a Gardener’s Assistant. She was born in Upton, Berkshire about 1832. She died in 1913 (Apr-Jun 1913 Abingdon 2c 332).
*Some additional information - Jill Muir:
Burials at Kingston William Walker aged 62 years, May 8th 1853 and William Smith Oct 19th 1873 aged 70 years - could these be the burials of the Postboys?
Also noted is that William Walker born 1791 would have been about 20 years when he married at Kingston being of 'the hamlet of Southmoor' when he married Hannah Chapman by Licence. They must later have moved to Kingston. There is no evidence that Wm Smith married here. Source: >Kingston Bagpuize Parish Registers.
The 1841 census shows Alexander Murdoch at the Hinds Head and a William Smith is a Male servant in the same house but not household. This leads me to believe that a larger house was needed to house all these people and I believe that this was when the Hinds Head was diagonally opposite the Old Bake House. It must have acted not only as a public house, but the post office handling the mail for Kingston House in particular.
"The Old Berks Hotel, Kingston Bagpuize is believed to have been the original Hind's Head. The building is situated next on the main Abingdon/Witney Road opposite the 'Green'." It became the 'Huntsman's House' housing the Huntsman and family. [Longworth & District History Society]
I would have thought that the change of position of the 'Hind's Head' occurred when John Blandy offered the site for the OBH Kennels at Kingston Bagpuize, about 1884.
The "New Kennels", of the Old Berks Hunt, diagonally opposite what was the 'Old Berks Hotel', Kingston Bagpuize, were built by the Joint Masters, Colonel Victor Van der Wyer and Charles Duffield between 1884-1889. Victor Van der Wyer in the spring of 1884, in the most munificent manner, placed the sum of £2,000 at the disposal of the Hunt Committee to enable them to build new kennels in any part of the county of Berkshire, and after consideration the site offered by John Blandy at Kingston Bagpuize was selected. [Longworth & District History Society]
Here is a recent photo taken by Jill Muir of the cottage next to School lane, where Mrs Russell held the Post Office -
