From Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, 1867
NEWHAVEN (anciently called MEECHING) is a parish, union, and seaport town, 56½ miles from London, 6½ south from Lewes, and 8 east from Brighton, in the Eastern division of the county, Holmstrow hundred, Lewes rape, county court district, archdeaconry and rural deanery, and diocese of Chichester. The church of St. Michael is situated on a hill: it has a tower, with a low shingled spire: contrary to the general rule, the tower is at the east end: the round eastern wall of the chancel seems to be of Anglo-Saxon origin: the body of the building was in 1854 completely restored and enlarged, and now consists of nave, and north and south aisles of flint, with windows in the Pointed style, and Caen stone dressings: in the churchyard is an obelisk, erected in memory of Capt. Hanson and 104 officers and men of the Brazen sloop-of-war, lost near this place, in January, 1800. The register dates from 1555. The living is a rectory, value £186 per annum, with residence, in the gift of, and held by, the Rev. Ebenezer Pleasance Southwood, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge. Newhaven is on the navigable river Ouse and the English Channel, and it obtained its present name when the river was diverted from Seaford, and made to enter the sea in a straight line here. This port is much frequented, and as a harbour of refuge would, with a little improvement, be of the greatest benefit to shipping: the entrance is about 200 feet wide, with a depth at high water of from 17 to 23 feet and at low water 5 to 8 feet: the trustees of the harbour, are at present expending about £50,000 in straightening the course of the river near the town, and constructing a new iron bridge, with a tramway, to connect the west side of the river with the railway. A large fortification is in course of construction on Castle Hill, at the west entrance of the harbour, which, for strength of position, weight of armament, and magnitude, will be equalled only by Dover as a coast defence. The coasting trade inwards consists of coals, corn, &c. partly waterborne to Lewes and Uckfield; that outwards consists of timber for ship building, and flints for the Staffordshire potteries. Newhaven has become a considerable port for continental traffic; a branch of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway connects it with London, and fast steamers ply daily to and from Dieppe, in connection with the Western Railway of France, forming the most direct line from London to Paris: this route is preferred by many, not only for its regularity and cheapness, but also for the beauty of the scenery from Dieppe to Paris. The number of passengers in 1865 was 47,880: the goods traffic is very considerable, consisting of wines, spirits, silk and French goods: a mail is carried by this line, but it is necessary to address letters via Newhaven or Dieppe, The principal government department is the Custom House, which employs a large staff, and is conveniently situated at the railway quay, whence the steamers start. Here is a shipbuilding yard, and an extensive brewery, well known for its Tipper ale. There is a fair on the 16th October in each year, for pedlery. The town is rapidly increasing; a great number of new houses are in course of erection. The union comprises 16 parishes, viz.:- Bishopstone, Denton, East Blatchington, Falmer, Iford, Kingston near Lewes, Newhaven, Ovingdean, Piddinghoe, Rodmell, Rottingdean, Southease, South Heighton, Stanmer, Tarring Neville or East Tarring, and Telscombe. The population of the parish in 1861 was 1,886; area 1,217 acres.
Parish Clerk, John Wady.
POST AND MONEY ORDER OFFICE, POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK, AND GOVERNMENT ANNUITY AND INSURANCE OFFICE.- Isaac Jack Reeve, postmaster. Letters are received through Lewes; arrive at 7.15 a.m. 10.30 a.m. & 2.30 p.m.; dispatched at 6.37 p.m. & 6.2 p.m. on sundays. Box closes 10 minutes previous to dispatch. Money orders are granted & paid from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m.; on saturday 8 p.m.
INSURANCE AGENTS:-
Eagle Life, John Noakes
Liverpool & London & Globe Fire & Life, John Noakes
London Assurance, George Stone
Norwich Union, Charles Stone
Phoenix Fire, John B. Lees
Provincial, William Brown, High street
Royal Fire & Life, I. Jack Reeve
Sovereign Life, W. Edwards
PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS:-
Custom House, Robert T. Dolan, collector; Beverley Usher Hearn, W. R. Staveley & Alfred Smith, clerks in the long room; William S. Flint, searcher; Geo. J. Wood, T. Fuller & E. Chalinder, examining officers; W. Waterman, assistant examining officer
Coast Guard Station, Mr. George W. Andrews, chief officer
Stamp Office, William Daniel Stone, distributor
Union Workhouse, Thomas O. Everard, chairman ; John Lewis, solicitor, clerk to the board of guardians; Rev. E. P. Southwood, M.A. chaplain; John Noakes, surgeon; Frederick George Turner, master; Mrs Turner, matron; W. D. Stone, registrar of births, death & marriages
Newhaven Harbour & Lower Ouse Navigation, John Lewis, esq. clerk; Robert T. Dolan, collector of harbour dues; Zachariah Stevens, harbour master. Pilots.- Charles Terry, Henry Reed, George Stevens, John Stocks, Henry Mockett, William Miller, Thomas Medhurst, William Medhurst
PUBLIC OFFICERS:-
French Consul, Jules Zanole (residence, Brighton)
Harbour Master, Mr. Zachariah Stevens
Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages for Newhaven Union, William Daniel Stone
Commissioner for taking Oaths in the Court of Admiralty, Samuel Edwards, esq.
Agent for Lloyd’s, Charles Scott Knight
Agent to Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners’ Society, William Daniel Stone
National School, Joseph Marks Goodchild, master; Mrs. Fanny Goodchild, mistress
HOTEL.- London & Paris hotel, Ananias de Bosson
CARRIERS TO:-
BRIGHTON – F. Weston, wednesday & saturday, from 24 South lane
LEWES – Harris, wednesday & saturday; Lower, wednesday & saturday; Earle, tuesday & friday; returning same days
RAILWAY.- London & Brighton & South Coast (Branch), Charles Scott Knight, superintendent
WATER CONVEYANCE:-
LONDON & PARIS, via Newhaven – Steam packets twice daily (sunday excepted), to Dieppe; Ananias de Bosson, agent
Superintendent of Steam Packets, Charles Scott Knight
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Andrews Mr. George Wellington, Coast Guard station
Brown Mr. Edward
Cann Thomas Martyn, esq
Catt Miss
Durrant Mr. William
Edwards William Samuel, esq.
Everard, Mrs.
Flint Mr. William S. 3 Denton terrace
Fuller Mr. Thomas
Hills Mr. G. H
Knight Mr. Henry
Knight Mr. Thomas
Noakes John, esq.
Osborn Mr. John
Plaisted Thomas Wilks, esq.
Southwood Rev. Ebenezer Pleasance, M.A. [rector]
Staveley Mr. William Robert
Tiltman Mrs
Tothill Mrs
Towner Robert, esq.
Williams Rev. John [Independent]
Wood Mr. George Jas. Sidney cottage
COMMERCIAL.
Baldwin William & Son, butchers
Banks Alfred, beer retailer
Banks Charles, baker & grocer
Banks John, master mariner
Banks Jsphropema, shopkeeper & rate colector
Bennett William Robert, ship owner, merchant & ship broker, & general commission agent
Bosson Ananias de, London & Paris hotel, custom house agent & general agent for the line from London to Paris, Steam Boat pier; & at 18 Fish Street hill, London e.c.
Bravery John, marine store dealer
Breach Charles, master mariner
Brooker Benjamin, boot & shoe maker
Brooker Ellen P. (Mrs.), milliner
Brown William & Edward, stationers & hair dressers
Bull John, grocer & draper
Bull Thomas, Ark
Cann Thomas Martyn, surgeon
Canty David, beer retailer
Combs Charles, boot & shoe maker
Cook George, boulder merchant
Cooke Charles, Bridge Inn hotel
Dieppe Steam Packet Office (Ananias de Bosson, agent), Steam Boat pier
Eddlestone Benj. boot & shoe maker
Edwards William Samuel (firm, Langham & Edwards), solicitor & notary public, & commissioner for taking oaths in the Admiralty court
Ellis & Hamblin, wine & spirit merchants, & at Brighton
Elphick John, boot & shoe maker
Fieldgate Thomas, master mariner
Gearing William, master mariner
Grimsby George, master mariner
Hare Edward Sherlock, White Hart
Harris Thomas, carrier
Harvey Henry, ship builder & block & mast maker
Harvey William, master mariner
Head William, beer retailer
Holder Henry, oyster merchant
Holloway John & Son, builders
Holman James, master mariner
Jackson Edwin Mark, master mariner
Knight Charles Scott, vice consul for Sweden & Norway, & agent for Lloyd’s, Railway station
Knight Frederick, greengrocer
Langham & Edwards, solicitors
Leaver William Castle & Frederick, young gentlemen’s boarding, classical & commercial school, Sussex lodge
Lee John Bennett, carpenter & builder
London & County Joint Stock Bank (Branch) (William Daniel Stone, manager)
Lower H. & G. shipwrights
Lower George, master mariner
Lower Hannah (Mrs.), beer retailer
Lower Thomas Henry, Hope, Seaside
Merchant Jesse, master mariner
Mewett Edward, Prince Of Wales, & builder
Mockford Henry, pilot
Mockford James, master mariner
Morgan James, baker
Mugridge Henry, butcher
Newhaven Gas Light & Coke Company (George Stone, secretary)
Newhaven & Seaford Benefit Building Society (Wm. Samuel Edwards, sec)
Noakes John, baker & confectioner
Noakes John, surgeon
Noakes Thomas, beer retailer, Seaside
Parrott James, beer retailer
Payne Frederick, master mariner
Potter John, gas fitter, & at Lewes
Povey Charles, beer retailer
Reed Henry, pilot
Reeve Isaac, academy
Reeve Isaac, chemist & druggist, stationer, postmaster
Roberts Charles, boulder merchant
Robinson George, sail maker
Seargeant Ann (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Sheater Stephen, Blue Anchor
Standbridge John, Ship inn
Stepney William, smith & farrier
Stevens Maria & Esther (Misses), shopkeepers
Stevens Benjamin, master mariner
Stevens John, carpenter & builder
Stevens Killick, master mariner
Stevens William, shopkeeper
Stevens Zachariah, harbour master
Stone & Towner, brewers, spirit & coal merchants & millers, Tipper ale brewery
Stone Charles, London & Paris Hotel tap
Stone Charles, plumber, painter & glazier
Stone Henry, master mariner
Stone Thomas, tailor & outfitter
Stone William Daniel, grocer, provision dealer & draper
Terry Charles, pilot, Lukes’s cottages
Towner Henry, butcher
Towner Richard, grocer & tea dealer, draper & outfitter
Waddell James, inland revenue officer
Weston Frederick, shopkeeper & carrier
Wilard Nicholas, farmer, Court house farm
Wingfield Ann (Miss), seminary
Winter William & Son, coal merchants
Winter William, master mariner
Wood James, academy
Woolgar James, beer retailer
Woolgar Walter, grocer & baker
Young Mary, Ann & Son, saddlers & harness makers