PAINGTON* RESIDENTS IN ROBSON'S DIRECTORY OF 1839 |
*For centuries, this was the usual spelling of the town's name until the Great Western Railway brought their line to the area. Originally, there may have been a clerical error by one of their employees but from that time on, the spelling we use today began to appear in railway timetables and tourist guides and so PAINGTON became PAIGNTON. |
On the coast of Tor Bay, 5½ miles E from Totnes, and about the same distance SW from Torquay, contained in 1831, 1960 inhabitants; the annual amount of assessed property in 1815 being £6602.
Tor Bay is, in general form, semi-circular, and is 12 miles in extent; the winding shores on both sides are screened with grand ramparts of rock, between which, about Paington, in the central part, the ground from the country forming a gentle vale, falls easily to the water's edge; wood grows all round the bay, even on its rocky sides, and in this neighbourhood with great luxuriance.
Paington is famous for a large but very sweet and early cabbage which takes its name from the village; it is also grown in great quantities at Cockington and the adjoining parishes for the markets of Plymouth and Exeter. A considerable trade in the exportation of cider is carried on here; it is considered to be of a superior quality and is sent to London, Liverpool, Bristol, Glasgow and Dublin.
Many improvements have recently taken place at Paington; a pier has been erected** which was commenced in 1833, and a new road formed through the town from Torquay to Brixham and Dartmouth.
Petty Sessions are held here the third Tuesday in each month. there is a market on Friday and a fair on Whit Tuesday. the church is dedicated to |St., John the Baptist, and the living is a vicarage, value £498 per annum. Here is an endowed school, also a Baptist Chapel. At Paington was formerly one of the palaces of the Bishops of Exeter and part of the mansion is yet standing. This parish is in Totnes Union.
**This mention of a pier is mysterious and may refer to work done in the harbour area. The Paignton Pier seen today dates from 1879. |
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Paignton (or Paington) c. 1860 by J. W. Tucker Note the tiny train to the left of centre. The line to Paington from Torre was officially opened on 1 August 1859 and it may be that this engraving was made in connection with some aspect of that event. |
Atkins, Alfred, surgeon Beard, Thomas, cabinet maker Beal, George, butcher Biggs, Henry. hair cutter Boys, James, ironmonger and brazier Browse, Henry, Esq., Commissioner of Taxes Browse, Henry James, surgeon Carter, John, butcher Ching, Richard, baker and confectioner Churchward, Thomas, cider merchant and ship owner Cockram, Edward, printer and stationer Coose, William, baker Corras, William, ironmonger and tinman Crossman, Jane, dressmaker Daniels, James, baker Distin, Grace, grocer and draper Drew, William, mason Dyer, Thomas, mason Evans Gregory, tailor Evans, Richard, mason Evans, William, tailor Furse, James, beer retailer Furse, John, painter and glazier, Union Inn Gillham, Henry, coachmaker and wheelwright Goodenough & Co., drapers, mercers and hosiers Goodridge, John, surgeon Goodridge, Susannah, Crown & Anchor (Posting House) Hannaford, Gabriel, butcher and ship owner Harris, Richard, whitesmith Hoyles, William, shopkeeper and shoemaker Hunt, Richard, cider merchant and farmer Hutchings, John, London Inn Jones & Andrews, grocers, glass and earthenware dealers King, John, mason Langdon, Richard, shoemaker Langler, Charles, painter and glazier Lash & Goodridge, straw bonnet makers Lidstone, Thomas, saddler and grocer Lome, Christopher, shoe warehouse Lugg, Thomas, Globe Commercial Inn Matland, John, shoemaker Merson, William, chemist, druggist and tea dealer Metherell, Allan Belfield, blacksmith Metherell, John, wheelwright Miotchell, G and F, dressmakers Nick, Anthony, ropemaker Norsworthy, John, basketmaker Paington Church - Rev. Robert Gee, Vicar Paington Church - Rev. Robert Rashdall, Curate Parnel, Thomas, butcher Parrett, John, carpenter Parrett, Richard, butcher Penny, John, draper and grocer Perrett, Frederick, carpenter Perrott, Richard, bookbinder Pook, Henry, greengrocer Pope, Matthew, blacksmith Reynolds, Samuel, Torbay Inn Rogers, Thomas, Boarding School Rossiter, John, grocer, Registrar of births and deaths for Paington District Rudely, Walter, mason Sibley, William, beer retailer Small, J, blacksmith Sparkes, Thomas, shoemaker Towell, William, builder Tozer, George, boot & shoemaker Tozer, John, carrier Tozer, John R. King, builder Veall, George, baker Waycott, R, watch and clockmaker Webber, James, shoemaker Weeks, Thomas, mason Williams, Mary, straw bonnet maker Williams, Walter, tailor Winsor, John, shoemaker Winsor, Thomas, tailor Winsor, William, bootmaker
POST OFFICE Postmaster - William merson Letters arrive from London, by way of Torquay, at 4 p.m. and are despatched in the morning at 9.0.
NATIONAL SCHOOL Built by voluntary contribution in 1834 for the education of boys and girls, on the Bell system .Master - Mr. Cooksley Mistress - Mrs. Cooksely
COACHES The Defiance, the Subscription and the Mail pass through daily.
CARRIERS John Tozer, from Torquay, to Paington, Totnes, Plymouth and Devonport, every Wednesday, returns every Friday. |
© M.E. Brine. This page last updated
31 July, 2009
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