1936 Kelly's Trade Directory - BILLINGTON

BILLINGTON is a scattered hamlet and civil parish. comprising Great and Little Billington, formed out of the civil parish of Leighton Buzzard, and is on the Buckinghamshire border, 1.5 miles west from Stanbridge Ford station on the London, Midland and Scottish railway, 2 miles south-east from Leighton Buzard, 6 miles west from Dunstable and 13 from Hemel Hempstead, in the Mid division of the county, hundred of Manshead, rural district of Luton, petty sessional division of Leighton Buzzard, county court district of Bletchley and Leighton Buzzard, rural deanery of Dunstable, archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of St. Albans. The ecclesiastical parish was formed in 1810. The church of St. Michael is a small oblong building of the Late Decorated period, with some Perpendicular portions, and consists of chancel, nave and a western turret containing one bell: the chancel retains a trefoil- headed piscina: a reredos was erected and the chancel panelled in 1928. The existing register dates from the year 1653; the earlier registers form part of those of Leighton Buzzard. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £320, including 2 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Parish Church Council, and held since 1933 by the Rev. Arthur Thomas Stephens B.A. of Durham University. There is a Methodist chapel here. An estate of 150 acres was left many years back, which produces about £300 yearly, one moiety of which is appropriated to the rector, and the other is divided between the poor and the repairs of the church and buildings on the estate. Billington Manor is the property and seat of Maj. Leigh Pemberton Stedall D.S.O., J.P. Ernest James Thornley esq. is lord of the manor. Sir Richard Ashmole Cooper bart. J.P. is the chief landowner. The soil is sand, clay and marl; subsoil clay. Caprolites are found here. The land is mostly pasture. The area is 1,209 acres; the population in 1931 was 242.

Post & Tel.. Call Office, Great Billington. Letters through Leighton Buzzard, nearest M.O. & T. office.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS
(for T.N's see general list of Private Residents at end of book.)

Bryant George, The Gables
Nolan Christopher, Little Billington
Stedall Maj. Leigh Pemberton D.S.O., J.P. Billington manor
Stephens Rev. Arthur Thomas B.A. (rector), The Rectory
Thorburn Mrs. Hill Top

COMMERCIAL

Adams Wltr. farmer, Home farm
Allen Geo. Albt. farmer, Wayside
Cox Tom, cowkeeper, Little Billington
Edwins Wm. Ln. farmer, New House farm
Farrar John Bell, farmer, Green fm
Hobbs Thos. farmer
Phillis Wltr. Hy. poultry farmer
Scott John, farmer, Manor farm
Shaw Alfred, shopkeeper & sub-postmaster
Spratley Charley, dairyman, Walker's farm
Tearle John, Greyhound inn
Windmill Charlotte (Mrs.), dressmaker