The Wigan Directory of 1869, Billinge
BILLINGE - CHAPEL-END and HIGHER-END - comprises the two townships thus named, and an acreage of 2,678, A part of Chadwick-Green is in Billinge-Chapel-End. The village - Chapel-End - lies about midway between Wigan and St. Helens, i.e., about five miles from each. Sir Robert Gerard, Baronet, of Garswood, and Meyrick Bankes, Esq., of Winstanley, own most of the land, the latter being lord of the manor. Bispham Hall, in Higher-End, is the residence of W. H. Brancker, Esq. The church is a plain, substantial building, the living being in the gift of the Rector of Wigan. The Wesleyans and Roman Catholics have each their chapels. A bequest of John Eddleston, dating from 1672, partly supports a national school here. The coal mines are worked to a limited extent; nail making is also carried on, and the quarrying and working of excellent building stone gives employment to a portion of the population, which in 1861 was 3,065. Billinge situated on elevated ground occupying the southern end of the ridge, of which Dalton is the northern, and there is here also a building on the highest point - Billinge Beacon - which like Ashhurst Beacon, is used as a sea mark. The two beacons are about five miles distant from each other, and to the west of the ridge lies the plain that stretches from the Mersey to the Ribble, and over which vessels on the Irish sea can be plainly distinguished. The nearer view from Billinge includes the extensive woods that surround Lathom House, the Knowsley woods, Bickerstaffe Church,, and Ormskirk. Eastward the view includes Rivington Pike, Haigh Hall, Wigan, Leigh, Bowdon, and the hills of Derbyshire and North East Lancashire, and on rare occasions the hills in Shropshire are seen across the Cheshire plain.
Abbott William, farmer
Anderton Joseph, nail maker
Ashall Thomas, beer retailer
Beaman Edward Henry, surgeon
Beesley Francis, beer retailer
Beesley Thomas, shopkeeper
Birch Joseph, joiner
Birchall Joseph, tailor and draper
Birchall Robert, shopkeeper
Birchall Thomas, wheelwright
Birchall Thomas, farmer
Blackleyhurst Co-operative Society, grocers
Bold Thomas, shopkeeper and blacksmith
Burns Mrs. Susan, farmer
Burrows Henry, beer retailer
Cadman Mr. John, Longshaw house
Carney Thomas, beer retailer
Chadwick Thomas, clogger
Clough George, clogger
Darlington Henry, master of Parochial school
Derbyshire Ellen, shopkeeper
Dixon James, chemist and grocer
Fairhurst Jeffery, beer retailer
Fairclough Richard, farmer
Gaskell Thomas, farmer
Gaskell Thomas P., beer retailer
Gee James, farmer
Grimshaw James, beer retailer
Gudgeon John, shopkeeper
Hampson Thomas, tailor and shopkeeper
Heald Thomas, Esq., Greenfield
Heaton William, Eagle and Child
Hill Thomas, beer retailer
Houton John, shopkeeper
Howard Susannah, Stork Inn
Hurst George, beer retailer
Knowles Mary, George and Dragon
Knowles Richard, shoemaker
Littler William, beer retailer
Lucas Hugh, stonemason
Makin George, shoemaker
Martin Andrew, farmer
Martlew William, beer retailer
Mather James and Co., shopkeepers and farmers
Mather Richard, shopkeeper
Mather Joshua, farmer
Mawdsley James, farmer
Morley and Arrowsmith, teachers, Catholic school
Moyers Ann, shopkeeper
Moyers James, shopkeeper and blacksmith, Winstanley
Moyers Richard, beer retailer
Moyers William, blacksmith and beer retailer
Page Jane, shopkeeper
Pigot Joseph, beer retailer
Powell Richard, nailmaker
Phythian Moses, farmer
Powell Richard, shop & nail master
Rigby Joseph, beer retailer
Rigby Joseph, farmer
Rigby Thomas, farmer
Roby Michael, shopkeeper
Saint George Rev. Howard, M.A., J.P., The Vicarage
Savage John O., supt. of police
Stock Samuel, coal proprietor, blackleyhurst
Tasker Thomas, Esq.
Townsend Ralph, farmer
Townshend Mary, shopkeeper
Walton Rev. Thomas, (Roman Catholic)