From Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, 1867
KEYMER is a long narrow parish, 10 miles north from Brighton, in the Eastern division of the county, Cuckfield union and county court district, hundred of Buttinghill, rape, archdeaconry and rural deanery of Lewes, and diocese of Chichester. The village is a large straggling one, the principal parts being St. John’s Common and Burgess Hill, which is a very improving neighbourhood, the population having largely increased during the last few years. The London and Brighton Railway runs through this parish, and there are two stations on the line, viz., Burgess Hill, 41½ miles from London, and Hassock’s Gate, 43½ miles. The church is an ancient structure, and stands at the south-east part of the village. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the rectory of Clayton, in the gift of Brasenose College, Oxford, and held by the Ven. Archdeacon Garbett, M.A. At St. John’s Common there is a national school for boys and girls. There is a new church (St. John’s) for the accommodation of the district, including parts of the parishes of Clayton and Keymer, of red brick faced with stone, and is intended to accommodate about 700 persons: it was consecrated 12th Jane, 1863. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the rector, and held by the Rev. H. G. Gervase Cutler. B.A. of St. John’s College, Oxford. Bricks, tiles, and brown ware pottery are extensively manufactured in this district. Valebridge is in this parish. The area is 3,538 acres, and the population is now about 2,000.
Parish Clerk, Robert Mason.
POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK, Burgess hill.- George Burnett, receiver. Letters received through the Hurst office at 8 a.m.; dispatched at 6.10 p.m.
RECEIVING HOUSE, St. John’s common. – Edgar Cooper, receiver. Letters are received through the Hurst office at 7.45 a.m.; dispatched at 6.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Burgess hill
INSURANCE AGENTS:-
Liverpool & London & Globe, F. E. Turner, Burgess hill
London Assurance, William Meeds, Burgess hill
SCHOOLS:-
National, Mrs. Alice Richardson, mistress
National, St. John’s common, Henry Beal, master; Mrs. Beal, mistress; Miss Elmira Wood, assistant
Railway Station, Hassock’s gate, John Scott, station master
Railway Station, Burgess bill, Wm. King, station master
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Ansdell -, esq. Bloomfields, Hassock’s gate
Archer John, esq. Burgess hill
Ashby W. esq. Burgess hill
Bayley Misses, Wilminton lodge, Hassock’s gate
Bread Robt. esq. Bankside, Burgess hill
Child William, esq. Wentworth house
Clay Rev. Edmund, M.A. Thorpelands
Cleaver Frederick Samuel. esq. The Oaks, Burgess hill
Cooper George. esq. Groveland park, Burgess hill
Crunden Thomas, esq. Oak hall, Burgess hill
Cutler Rev. H. G. G. B.A. The Parsonage, Burgess hill
Daynes Mr. Michael Longmar
Freeman Jas. Albert, esq. Burgess hill
Furner Edmund, M.D. Greenlands
Hallam Samuel, esq. Burgess hill
Harris M. W. esq.
Hatton Mr. Thomas, Burgess hill
Hoffman Mr. Augustus, Burgess hill
Hughes Philip Henry, esq. Burgess hill
Humphrey Mrs. Franklands, Burgess hill
Knight Mr. James, Burgess hill
Marshall William, esq. Hassock’s gate
Pilleau. Arthur, esq. Hilgay, Burgess hill
Pocock Mr. -, Burgess hill
Renshaw Thomas, esq. Rookery
Shaw John, esq. The Beacon, Burgess hill
Smith Mrs. St. John’s
Swan Edward Gibbons. esq. Burgess hill
Temple Madame Emily, St. John’s common, Burgess hill
Thunder Mr. E. Hassock’s gate
Tiley William George, esq. Fir grove, Burgess hill
Watkins Capt. R.A. Burgess hill
Wilkinson Peter Richard, esq.
Wood James, esq. Ockley
COMMERCIAL.
Advad John, farmer
Agate James, farmer, Grove land
Agate John, Burgess Hill, & wheelwright
Agate William, farmer
Allfrey & Woollven, bricklayers, St. John’s common
Arnald Edward, baker
Ashdown John, shoe maker, Valebridge
Asted Joseph, miller
Barber Charles, carpenter, Burgess hill
Broad & Packham, coal merchants & dealers in oil cake, guano & guaranteed manures, Burgess hill
Burnett George, grocer, & post office, Burgess hill
Butcher – (Mrs.), Potter’s Arms, St. John’s common
Charman Thomas, brewer, Brewery, St. John’s common
Cleveley John, Hassock inn, Hassock’s gate
Cobden – (Mrs.), school, Burgess hill
Cooper Edgar, grocer & draper, & post office, St. John’s common
Cox Thomas, tailor, St. John’s common
Davey Henry, carpenter
Ford Benjamin, shoe maker, St. John’s common & Burgess hill
Furner Edmund, physician, Greenland
Gates William, plumber & painter, St. John’s common
Glazebrook Martha (Miss), boarding school, St. John’s common
Gravett John, brick, tile & brown pottery ware manufacturer, St. John’s common
Gravett William, beer retailer, Valebridge
Hammond William, farmer, Lodge farm
Hoadley Fredk. shopkeeper, Burgess hill
Hornsby Henry R. Cricketers’ inn, & cricketers’ ground, St. John’s common
James Henry, Railway commercial hotel, & fly proprietor
Jeffery Wm. blacksmith, St. John’s common
Meeds James, brick, tile & brown pottery ware manufacturer, St. John’s original brick yard, Burgess hill
Miles Wm. blacksmith, St. John’s common
Mitchell John, grocer, Keymer street
Norman Richard & Nathan, ornamental brick & tile makers & brown pottery ware manufacturers, St. John’s common
Norman Simeon, builder, St. John’s common
Packham Robert, shoe maker, St. John’s common
Parsons George, nursery & seeds man & florist to the Queen, Hassock’s Gate nursery, & at Brighton
Peirce Richard, farmer, Stone rock
Rayward Abraham Warden, King’s Head, St. John’s common
Rawley William, farmer
Scrase Alfred, butcher, Burgess hill
Sowton Jonathan, house agent, St John’s
Stone Chas. blacksmith, St. John’s common
Stubbs Michael, farmer, Broad street
Taylor Mark, beer retailer
Tiley William George, surgeon, Fir grove, Burgess hill
Tulley Charles, manufacturer of bricks, tiles, chimney pots, water pipes & brown ware pottery, St. John’s common
Turner Frank Edward, builder & wheelwright, St. John’s common
Turner James, farmer, Newlands
Wickham John, farmer
Wood William, farmer & miller, New close
Woolvan Thomas, market gardener