The Wigan Directory of 1881, Billinge
BILLINGE-CHAPEL-END and BILLINGE-HIGHER-END are townships in the Wigan union. The former is about five miles from Wigan, and the same distance from St. Helens; and the latter is about three miles from Wigan, convenient to Orrell Station, on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. These two townships, together with Winstanley, form the district of Billinge, and have a Local Board of 9 members.
The population of Billinge-Chapel-End in 1861 was 2015; in 1871, 1961; and in 1881, 1935.
Billinge-Higher-End is in the parish of Upholland. The population in 1861 was 1051; in 1871, 1267; and in 1881, 1402.
Roger Leigh, Esq., is Lord of the Manor.
Bispham Hall formerly belonged to the Holt family, but now belongs to Meyrick Bankes, Esq.
Billinge-Chapel-End and Winstanley form together a parish in the hundred of West Derby. The church is a plain, substantial building, the living being in the gift of the rector of Wigan. The living is worth £400 per annum. The church was restored in 1717, but there was a church and grave-yard in the reign of Elizabeth. A bequest of John Eddleston, dating from 1672, partly supports a national school here.
There is a Roman Catholic Chapel, called St. Mary's, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1826, and opened on the 12th May, 1828. Sir William Gerard, Bart., contributed £1000, and gave the site. The schools in connection (commonly called Birchley Schools) were built in 1858, at a cost of £2300.
The coal mines are worked to a limited extent; nail making is also carried on, and the quarrying and working of excellent building stone gives employment to a portion of the population.
The height of Billinge Hill is 593 feet. It is the termination of the Yorkshire range, and commands a view of the Yorkshire hills, Cumberland group, Welsh Hills, River Mersey at Liverpool, and the Irish Sea. It is about 12 miles south of Rivington Pike, the highest of the hills of central Lancashire.
Post Office, Billinge-Chapel-End. - Thos. Hampson, postmaster. Letters from Wigan arrive at 8.30 a.m., and are despatched thereto at 5.15 p.m. Money Order Office and Savings' Bank.
PLACES OF WORSHIP & THEIR MINISTERS
Parish Church, - Rev. Howard St. George, M.A., vicar
Roman Catholic. - Rev. Austin Powell, priest.
Wesleyan Chapel.
Primitive Methodist Chapel, Chapel end
SCHOOLS
Parochial School. - William Harrison Williams, master; Miss Cooke, mistress
Birchley Roman Catholic School. - Ellen Roberts, mistress.
County Constabulary Station, Billinge-Chapel-End. - William Gilbert, constable.
Local Board of Health. - W. Goldsworth, surveyor, engineer and inspector of nuisances; J. L. Molyneux, medical officer; T. R. Ellis, law clerk; H. Darlington, clerk & collector of rates.
BILLINGE-CHAPEL-END
PRIVATE RESIDENTS
Anderson Hugh, Esq., M.B., Claremont House
Cadman Miss E., Longshaw House
Heald Thomas, Esq., Greenfield
Powell Rev. Austin
Roskell Mr. Nicholas, Tan House
St. George Rev. Howard, M.A., The Vicarage
Stock Samuel, Esq., Blackleyhurst
COMMERCIAL
Anderson Hugh, M.B., surgeon, Claremont
Anderton James, shopkeeper
Ashall Mary, beer retailer
Baines Aaron, innkeeper, George and Dragon Inn
Beesley Francis, butcher, farmer, and carrier to St. Helens and Wigan
Beesley Thomas, shopkeeper and beer retailer
Birchall Robert, grocer and corn dealer
Blackleyhurst Co-operative Society, grocers and drapers
Bold Thomas, shopkeeper
Burrows William, beer retailer
Chadwick Thomas, clogger
Chisnall Thomas, beer retailer
Clough James, clogger and general dealer
Cowperthwaite William, shoe maker
Cunliffe Francis, beer retailer
Darlington Henry, assistant overseer
Derbyshire Ellen, shopkeeper
Gaskell James, shopkeeper and beer retailer
Gaskell Thomas, shopkeeper
Gee George, beer retailer
Green William, shopkeeper
Grimshaw Margaret, beer retailer
Hampson Thomas, grocer and tailor, Post Office
Haward Susanna, innkeeper, Stork Inn
Heaton William, innkeeper, Eagle & Child Inn
Heinekey Thomas, beer retailer
Heyes George, shopkeeper
Heyes James, carrier to St. Helens and Wigan
Heyes William, shopkeeper
Hill Thomas, beer retailer
Hurst George, beer retailer
Knowles Richard, shoemaker
Lucas Hugh, stone mason
Mather Edward, carrier and shopkeeper
Mather Hugh, shopkeeper, and authorised water fitter
Mather William, joiner and builder
Melling William, stone merchant and grocer
Moyers Peter, wheelwright and beer retailer
Moyers William, blacksmith and beer retailer
Neville Peter & Co., shopkeepers
Powell Richard, nail master
Powell Richard, jun., tailor and draper
Rigby Mary, beer retailer
Taylor Luke, joiner and wheelwright
Townsend Mary, shopkeeper
Whittaker William, tailor
Wilkinson Joseph, shopkeeper
FARMERS
Abbott William, Lime Vale
Beesley Francis, Little Hough Wood
Birchall Thomas, Crookhurst
Burns John, Ashgrove
Dean Joseph, Billinge-Chapel-End
Friar Joseph, Chadwick Green
Gee James (heirs of), Norsbury
Hamilton James, Birchley Hall
Heaton Henry, Billinge-Chapel-End
Mather James, Billinge-Chapel-End
Mather John, Billinge-Chapel-End
Mather Joshua, Billinge-Chapel-End
Mather Thomas, Tarbuck
Mawdsley James, Hough Wood
Neville Peter & Co., Billinge-Chapel-End
Nicholson John, Billinge-Chapel-End
Phythian Moses, Chadwick Green
Rigby James, Billinge lane
Rigby Joseph, Brown Heath Nook
Stock Samuel, Blackleyhurst
Townsend Ralph, Septhon's Farm
West Thomas, Turner fold
BILLINGE-HIGHER-END
Anderton Henry, nail maker
Anderton Thomas, nail maker
Beesley thomas, boot maker
Brown Miss R. M., Greenhill Cottage
Carruthers John, travelling draper, Green Slate Villa, Orrell
Cliff Rober, beer retailer
Daniels Elias, nail master
Gaskell William, joiner and builder, Orrell
Halewood William, innkeeper, Holt's Arms
Halliwell Alice, shopkeeper
Makin John, shopkeeper
Mather Tabitha, shopkeeper
Melling James, quarrymaster
Melling Richard, Hare & Hounds Inn
Moyers Richard, innkeeper and blacksmith, Unicorn Inn
Pennington John, painter and paperhanger
Pennington William, carrier
Silcock Ellen, shopkeeper
Southern Henry, grocer and draper
Taylor Arnold, shopkeeper and beer retailer
Unsworth Alice, shopkeeper
Whalley Mr. Charles, Hawthorn place
Winstanley Elizabeth, shopkeeper
Worsley Mr. Richard, Billinge-Higher-End
FARMERS
Alker George, Lower Heaton House
Alker William, Green Slate Farm
Ashall Mary, Brownlaw
Ashurst Henry, Barr Hall
Boardman Mary, Shawley brow
Fairhurst Thurstan, Red Barn
Hill Margaret, Billinge Hall
Lyon John, Clap lane
Makin George, Gortley
Makin John, King's Moss
Makin Peter, Rainford Brook
Makin William, Gortley lane
Makinson Thomas, Heyes House
Middlehurst Henry, King's Moss
Petty John, Shawley brow
Simm John, Wisnall's Farm
Taylor Thomas, Higher Brown lane
Wilcock Ann, Doctor's Farm
Wilcock William, Lower Brown lane