Billericay is a small town and head of a union, on an eminence at the junction of the road from London to Rochford and Southend, with that from Chelmsford to the ferry over the Thames at Tilbury, 6 miles east from Brentwood, 9 south from Chelmsford and 23 from Whitechapel church, and was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish 14 Sept 1844, but for civil purposes is within the parish of Great Burstead.
The Great Eastern Railway Company has a station at the lower end of the town, on their branch line from Shenfield, opened January 1st 1889, which proceeds via Wickford to Maldon, Burnham and Southminster, and also through Rayleigh and Rochford to Southend. The town is lighted with gas.
The church of St Mary Magdalene is a plain rectangular edifice of brick, consisting of nave and a western tower, the only part of the old church now remaining, and containg one bell and and an illuminated clock, provided in 1897 at a cost of £120: the tower was thoroughly restored in 1880, and in the same year, a stained glass window was erected as a memorial to William Carter esq, and his wife, by their children: the church was reseated in 1902 and now affords 400 sittings. The register dates from the year 1844; all earlier entries referring to this place will be found in the registers of Great Burstead.
The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of Chelmsford, and held since 1877 by the Rev Edward George Darby, BA, of St Johns College, Cambridge.
A new Catholic church to be dedicated to Our Most Holy Redeemer and St Mary is now (1917) in course of erection, being erected at an estimated cost of £2,500; the church will have 350 sittings.
There is a Baptist chapel and a Congregational chapel, founded in 1672, with 625 sittings; attached to the latter is a manse and a burial ground.
In 1684, the Rev Samuel Bailey, of South Benfleet, left to the vicar of Great Burstead a portion of land producing £72 yearly for the support of a school for the town of Billericay.
The trustees of Joseph, Lord Petre, who is a minor are lords of the manor, and Mrs C G Reade, of Bath, chief landowner. The population in 1901 was 1,319, including
inmates and 20 officials and their families in the Billericay Institution.
The Union contains the following parishes, viz, Basildon, Benfleet North, Bowers Gifford, Brentwood, Burstead Great, Burstead Little, Childerditch, Downham, Dunton, Horndon East , Horndon West Hutton, Ingrave, Laindon, Lee Chapel, Mountnessing, Nevendon, Pitsea, Ramsden Bellhouse, Ramsden Crays, Shenfield, Vange, Warley Little, Weald South, and Wickford.
The area is 49,854 acres; rateable value £184,807.
The popuulation in 1911 was 28,478
The Institution, a building of brick in the Elizabethan style, was built in 1840 & will hold 300 inmates; a new infirmary, casual wards & boiler house were added in 1898.
Railway Station, Horace Bassingthwaighte, station master
Carrier to Chelmsford – Harry Heard, tues and friday.
Private Residents
Atkinson H Francis, The Croft
Bellew William A, Bwllegarde
Blundell Henry Edwin, Barrington house
Branfill Mrs Brydges Robinson, Burghstead lodge
Brassill Rev Martin L (Catholic), The Presbytery, High street
Brown Arthur, Roseleigh
Bull Mrs, Bleak House
Burrows Thomas, Sunnymeade
Chaumette Hy H A, The Ramblers
Cole Edmund Joseph, Bell hill
Coppin Sidney S, High street
Coveney Rev Robert George (Congregational), High street
Crawford Andrew, Rosslare
Crook Gilbert, Westbury cottage
Darby Rev Edward George, BA (vicar)
Edwards Miss, Red hatch
Edwards Thomas W, St Keverne
Fowler K R, West Holme
Frost John
Gallacher Adolphus J, Highfield
Goodchild Wellington, High street
Hadland James, Rayleigh lodge
Hare Walter W, Hill house
Harris Frederick Coombe, St Osyth
Hislop Hardy W A, Ingleside
Houghton Edmund John, High street
Hoysted Rev James Douglas BA
Jeanes Frampton, Meadowcroft
Jefferies John, Bank house
Kelly Thomas, Birkswell
King Charles Leslie, High street
Ladbrook Mrs, Crescent house
Logsdail George Alfred, The Laurels
Maples Thomas Richard, Beachbank
Mills William, Laburnams
Moore Edward, The Manse
Moore Frank, Lyndhurst
Moore Leonard, Ferndale
Moore Miss, Laurel bank
Moore Walter Richard, Hillside
Mountain William E
Muers Herbert Silk, Plas Newydd
Negrotto Joseph Hector, Newlands
Powell George Arthur, Ashdown
Pritt Henry Walter, Pertlands
Sadler James
Salter Frederick, The Doon
Scales Edgar George, Station estate
Shackleton William BA, MD, Barnsley house
Skuse Charles, Hollingside
Sloper Arbuthnot John, High street
Spinks Charles F, Highlands
Springett Alfred
Statham Hubert
Stevens William Ernest, Oakdene
Street Mrs, Norsey Manor
Taylor Charles, Ephracott
Trimnell Thomas, The Gables
Tyrrell Mrs, Claremont
Waldron Thomas, Winnivere
Walford Lionel J, Grey house
Ward Mrs, Lockers
Watkinson Frederick George, Rosslyn
Webster W, Bellevue
Wells Joseph Douglas MB ChB Edin
Westoby Miss, The Cottage
Whitaker Arthur C, Roselle
Wiggins Frederick Samuel, Glenavis
Wyatt William Frederick, The Cottage
Commercial
Alderslade Alfred Thomas, Coach & Horses PH
Ambrose Arthur, carpenter
Ambrose May E (Mrs), ladies outfitter
Ancient Order of Foresters (Rubens lodge 3095) (Robert King, sec)
Arding Edgar William, bricklayer
Arthyr Minnie (Mrs), shopkeeper
Ashby William M, boot dealer
Ayling Leo Charles, Red LIon hotel
Barclays Banj Limited (branch), bankers (J Jefferies, manager); draw on head office, 54 Lombard street, London EC
Barfield Arthur, wood carver
Bassom George Joseph, plumber & glazier
Billericay Conservative Club (Robert Larritt, sec)
Billericay & District (Mid Essex Division) Liberal & Radical Association, Arthur Sorrell, hon sec, High street
Billericay Fire Brigade (Edward G Wheeler, acting captain)
Boughtwood Annie E (Miss), girls & boys school
Boughtwood Charles H, carting contractor
Boughtwood Frederick Thomas, butcher
Brentwood & District Co-operative Society Ltd (branch), High street
Brown Arthur, wheelwright & blacksmith
Bull Ellen & Annie (Misses), news agents, High street
Bull Edward, jobmaster
Burrows Thomas (Mrs), home for slight mental & epilectic ladies, Sunnymeade
Butcher Lucy Hannah (Mrs), Burstead House temperance hotel
Cattaway George, shopkeeper
Cole Edmund Joseph, farmer, Bell hill
Cole Emily (Mrs), shopkeeper
Cole Henry, plumber
Conoley Edward, Rising Sun PH
Cottis W J & Sons, bakers & confectioners
Daldy & Co, coal merchants
Eaes Clara (Mrs), apartments, High street
Eales Frederick John, saddler & deputy registrar of birth, deaths & marriages
Eke Joseph, insurance agent, Fernlea
Gentry Ebenezer, builder
Gentry Fred, boot & shoe maker
Grays & Tilbury Gas Co (William Whitaker, sec)
Gutteridge Albert, cabinet maker
Harman John, Railway hotel
Harrington Albert Samuel, ironmonger
Harris Brothers, builders
Hawkins Frederick James, Crown hotel
Heard Harry, carrier
Heard Samuel John, carpenter
Holness Charles N, White Hart PH
Howard Percy, news agent, High street
Home for Feeble Minded (Men), Thomas W Edwards, sec
Home for Epilectics (Men), Thomas W Edwards, sec
Houghton & Co, grocers, bakers & drapers
Iles Henrt William, estate agent, builder, architect & surveyor
Jarvis Arthur, shopkeeper, High street
Jefferies H J & Co, solicitors
Jefferies Harry John, solicitor & commissioner for oaths
Jefferies John, manager of Barclay Bank Ltd branch bank
Ladbrook Oscar, hay & straw dealer
Larritt Agnes (Miss), milliner
Larritt Robert, cycle agent & tobacconist
Laugher Algernon Harry, registrar of births & deaths
Layland R J W, sanitary inspector & surveyor
Lewis & Quennell, solicitors
Little Jn William, boot & shoe repairer
Lowe John A, printer, Caxton house
Maclure John, fruiterer
McKenzie John, carpenter
Marshall Arthur, shopkeeper
Mason George, tea gardens, Le Chalet
Moore Walter Richard, draper & grocer
Morris Joseph Edward, wine & spirit merchant
Nix John Beard, chemist & stationer
Nursery Co Ltd (The), nurserymen
Palmer Thomas, teacher of music
Patrick William Horner, draper, High street
Payne Edward Burgess, butcher
Potter Harry, plumber
Purdy George S, grocer, High street
Quennell John Lewis, solicitor & commissioner for oaths
Quilter William, farmer
Ramsey Harriett (Mrs), dress maker
Rayner-Green William, photographer, West view
Reading Room & Library (William Houghton, hon sec)
Reeve Annie (Mrs), dressmaker, High street
Sadler Edith (Miss), music teacher
Saner George jun, market gardener, Norsey road
Scott Maria (Mrs), general smith
Seagers Alfred, shopkeeper
Shackleton William BA, MD, ChB Dub, physician & surgeon
Shipton William, joiner
Skuse Lillian Eva (Miss), teacher of music
Smith Jane Mansell & Martha (Misses), dress makers
Smith W H & Son, news agents, Railway Station
Smith Frederick H, butcher, & The Chequers PH
Smith William Edward, baker & confectioner
Southend Waterworks Co, High street
Speller Jessie (Miss), shopkeeper
Springett & Co, motor garage
Springett Alfred J, carting contractor
Still Henry, tailor
Stratham Charles S, sign writer, High street
Swann William Hy, fruiterer & greengrocer
Taylor Charles John, corn merchant
Tylor Edward, baker & corn dealer
Tyrrell Annie E (Mrs), draper
Ventris Lilian (Miss), nurse
Wade Clara (Miss), shopkeeper
Wells Joseph Douglas MB, Ch B Edin, physician & surgeon
Wells Samuel J, watch maker, High street
Wheeler Edward G, bricklayer
White Jessie (Miss), confectioner
Wormald Thomas Eastwood, house & insurance agent, assistant overseer, clerk to Parish Council & collector of poors rates