Billericay is a small decayed market town and head of a union, and a polling place for the Southern division of the County, a separate parish for ecclesiastical purposes, but for civil purposes within the parish of Great Burstead, in the hundred of Barstable, Brentwood county court and police district; it is situated 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 from the Brentwood station, 23 north east from Whitechapel church, 16.5 north west from Rochford, 15 north from Tilbury, and 18 north west from Southend.
The town is lighted with gas; and has a fane view of the Thames, the Nore, and the coast of Kent.
Petty sessions for the hundred of Barstable are held once a fortnight in Market House.
The church of St Mary Magdalen is an ancient brick building, supposed to have been founded in the fourteenth century; the tower was built in the reign of Edward IV, but is now much decayed.
The register dates from the year 1844. The living is a vicarage, tyearly value £220, in the gift of the Bishop of Rochester, and held by Rev Robert Chapman Webb, MA, of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
There is a Grammar school, endowed with an estate of £120 per annum, left in 1654 by the Rev Samuel Bayley, rector of Benfleet, also a National School.
There are chapels for Baptists and Independents. A small market is held on Tuesdays, chiefly for pigs; there are also fairs held on the 2nd of August and 7th of October.
The Union contains the following parishes, viz, Basildon, Bowers Gifford, Brentwood, Childerditch, Downham, Dunton, East Horndon, Great Burstead, Hutton, Ingrave, Laindon, Little Burstead, Little Warley, Mount Nessing, Nevendon, North Benfleet, Pitsea, Ramsden Bellhouse, Ramsden Cray, Shenfield, South Weald, Vange, West Horndon and Wickford.
The gross estimared value of the union is £106, 674; rateable value £91,699. Brickmaking is carried on here to a small extent. Lord Petre is lord of the manor. The population in 1861 was 1,390.
Parish clerk, William Hummerstone.
Places of Worship :
St Mary Magdalen Church, Rev Robert Chapman Webb, M A, vicar
Baptist chapel
Independent chapel, Rev Richard Wyatt, minister
Schools:
British (boys and girls), Mrs Jane Whiteman, mistress
Endowed Grammar, Henry Roberson, master
National (boys and girls), Cornelius Smith, master; Mrs Hannah Cox, mistress
Conveyance to:
Brentwood – William Henry Amos, daily, to meet 11am train
Chelmsford – William Lazell, from the White Hart to Spotted Dog, Chelmsford, monday and Friday, 9am
London – Thomas Pease, monday, thursday & friday, 5pm to Bull Inn, Aldgate, returning on the following days.
Rayleigh & Romford – Thomas Pease, wednesday & saturday; returning monday & thursday
Private Residents
Bundick Miss
Carter Frederick
Cross Misses
Dau John Starling
Dell Charles
Hart Mrs
Jefferies John
Low Mrs Edward
Mead Misses
Oates Misses
Payne Alfred Thomas
Raine George White
Roberts Edmund, JP
Spitty Major Thomas Jenner, JP
Thorrowgood Henry
Thorrowgood Henry, jun
Webb Rev Robert Chapman, MA, vicar
Williams Robert Lloyd
Woodward Edward
Commercial
Aldridge Charles Suffolk, baker
Amos William Henry, baker & carrier
Banham Isaac, Chequers
Bassom George, plumber & glazier
Begrie Charles, furniture broker
Benson James, beer retailer
Burrell Thomas, carpenter
Carter Frederick, surgeon
Caton Joseph, wheelwright & parish clerk
Cheveley Ann (Mrs), straw bonnet maker
Clark Sarah (Mrs), berlin wool repository
Clark Thomas, tailor
Cole George, corn merchant & farmer
Coote John, marine store dealer
Cox George jun, baker
Cox Thomas, plumber & glazier
Cross Arthur, Three Horseshoes
Curtis George, builder, upholsterer & post master & registrar of marriages
Curtis Samuel, bricklayer
Curtis Sarah Maria (Mrs), Bull
Day John Starling, surgeon
Dennis Ellen Mary (Miss), organist
Dennis John, hair dresser
Doive Jesse, cowkeeper
Eales Thomas, saddler
Emerson Brothers, general drapers
Gas Works (Job J Salter, prop & manager)
Gentry John, bricklayer
Gentry Thomas, boot & shoe maker
Gentry Thomas, bricklayer
Gladwyn Frederick, ironmonger, locksmith &c
Graves George, chimney sweeper
Hatch William, gardener & seedsman
Hawkes Edward, tailor
Heard Samuel John, beer retailer
Hills James, carter
Houghton Caleb, draper & grocer
Hummerstone William, boot & shoemaker
Joslin Joseph, boot & shoemaker
Joslin Robert George, upholsterer
King John, cooper & basket maker
Lloyd George, grocer & dealer in marine stores
Lucas & Beall, corn merchants
Makings Sarah (Miss), general smith
Manning William, chemist
Martin Alfred, dealer in hay & straw
Mechanics Institute (Job J Salter, treasurer)
Moore William, darper & grocer
Morris Frederick, grocer
Nix John Knowles, chemist & druggist & stationer, & stamp office
Oliver Thomas, clothier & hatter
Olley Thomas, boot & shoemaker
Orbell John, painter & glazier & depot for the Bible Society & the Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge
Orton John, butcher
Osborn Edward, blacksmith
Oxlet Thomas, Sun
Palmer Eliza (Mrs), confectioner
Peachey John, Coach & Horses
Pease Thomas, carrier
Price Jonathan Henry, academy
Punt Sarah (Mrs), White Hart
Raine George White, surgeon
Ramsey George, watch & clock maker
Richardson Charles, butcher
Roberts Benjamin, glover
Robertson Henry, master of the Endowed Grammar school
Rowed William, grocer
Ruffell William, builder
Salter Job Jeffery, iron founder & proprietor of the Gas works
Scott Phoebe (Mrs), china & glass dealer
Sewell David, shopkeeper
Sewell Joseph, beer retailer & cowkeeper
Shipp Timothy, veterinary surgeon
Sides Thomas, Red Lion commercial inn
Simpson John
Smith, James, glover
Smith John, furnishing ironmonger
Smith John Henry, tailor & assistant overseer
Sparrow & Co, bankers(John Jefferies, agent); draw on Barclay, Bevan & Co, London
Stebbing Edmund, boot & shoemaker
Stebbing Jane Ann (Miss), girls school
Steele George, watch maker
Steward Jacob, beer retailer
Teague & Wellstead, coal merchants, Sun wharf at Brentwood
Theobald Ephraim, beer retailer & castrator – Theobald Beer Shop
Totman John, greengrocer
Tunbridge John, grocer & draper
Taylor Philip, baker & farmer
Upson James, saddler & harness maker
Upson William, wheelwright
Warren James & Son, boot & shoemakers
Waylett James, boot & shoemaker
Waylett William Henry, farmer
Wheal John, beer retailer
Whistler William, boot & shoemaker
Williams Robert Lloyd, solicitor & at Grays Thurrock
Woodard Edward, solicitor & at Rayleigh