Sturmer 1848 Whites Directory

STURMER, or Sturmere, a small village and parish, 1½ mile S.E. of Haverhill, is watered by a tributary stream of the river Stour, and contains 333 souls, and 925 acres of land. It had its name from a lake or mere of the Stour, which formerly covered about 20 acres. J. and H. Purkis, Esqrs. , have neat houses here, and own a great part of the parish, purchased in 1832 of R. P. Todd, Esq., and formerly belonging to the Goldingham, Coggeshall, Claydon, and other families. A farm here of 34A. 3R. 34P. , called Parker’s, and now let for £35 a year, was given by two maiden sisters, at an early period, jointly to the parishes of Sturmer and Kedington, for the reparation of their churches and the relief of their poor. Sturmer Church is a curious old building, very imperfectly lighted by small lancet windows. Its only entrance is under a Norman arch, with a single zig zag ornament. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £8 . 10s. , and in 1831 at £204, is in the patronage of the Duke of Rutland, and incumbency of the Rev. Wm. Hicks, who has an ancient residence, and about 20A. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1840 for £267 per annum.

Bowtle Daniel, shoemaker
Bowyer Thomas, blacksmith
Cowle Thomas, shopkeeper
Dearsley Ann, schoolmistress
Dillistone Sargent and John, nursery and seedsmen and florists
Frost Thos. fruit, &c. dealer
Hicks Rev. William, rector & surrogate
Purkis Miss Harriet
Purkis Harry, Esq. (maltster, ) Abbots
Purkis Jno. Esq. (maltster,) Sturmer Hall
Ruse Rutland, saddler and shopkeeper
Skelton Joseph, shoemaker
Smith Chas. farmer, Copse Hall
Todd Radcliffe Pearl, Esq. , Woodland Green
Turner Mary, vict. Red Lion
Walliker Stephen, carpenter