Postmasters and Post Offices

Coddington is lucky to retain a village shop and Post Office, however its position within the village has changed since it was first established in the 1860s. There have been at least four locations of the Post Office in Coddington:

 

  • John Ellis’s cobblers shop (1860s – 1895ish now demolished)
  • location unknown –  Mrs Ellen Farmer (1897- early 1900s)
  • 21 Main St (Post Office Row) – William, Helen and Molly Sharp (circa 1912 ? 1975)
  • Orchards, Main St – Mary and Bernard Mastin (1975 – 1989 now a private house)
  • Newark Rd, the present site  from 1989

 

(insert map(s) showing Post Office locations)

 

See more information about Coddington shoemakers. (insert link)

See more information about the Sharps and Post Office Row. (insert link)

 

Village sub-Postmasters from Trade Directories

 

The Ellis Family (Shoe and Boot Makers)

Post Office

1814

1814 John Ellis shoemaker and Ann his wife baptise son William, 1816 son James and 1818 another child.

1827

John Ellis married Mary Keetley at Coddington 27.2.1827

1832

1832 TD Shoe and Boot Makers:

John Atter, John Ellis

1841

Census

1841 Census: Cordwainers

John Ellis 50 Cordwainer; Mary Ellis 50;William Ellis Cordwainer 25; Harriet Ellis 20

1844

1844 Whites: Shoe and Boot Makers

John Ellis; William Ellis

Christopher Else, John Whitaker

1848

1848 Lascelles: Shoe and Boot Makers

John Ellis; William Ellis

William Langton; Samuel Lawson

1853

1853 Whites: Shoe and Boot Makers

John Ellis; William Ellis

William Langton; William Laughton

1861

Census

1861 Census: Shoemakers

2 doors from Red Lion:John Ellis 70; Mary Ellis 70

4 doors from Plough: William Ellis 45; Harriet Ellis 46; Ann Ellis dau 19, William 18 joiner and builder, Elizabeth 14 dressmaker. William Goodman brother in law shoemaker.

1864

1864 Whites Shoemakers

John Ellis; William Ellis, William Laughton

1869

1869 Morris: 

William Ellis shoemaker + sub-postmaster

William Langton

1869 Morris: 

William Ellis  sub-postmaster

1871

Census

1871 Census: Main St near Church Lane

John Ellis 80 shoemaker, lodger with Marshalls.

William Ellis 55 shoemaker + sub- postmaster; wife Harriet Ellis 56, daughter Ann 29 dressmaker.

1871 Census: Main St near Church Lane

William Ellis 55 shoemaker + sub- postmaster; Harriet Ellis 56

 

1872

1872 Whites:

William Ellis shoemaker + sub-postmaster

William Langton

1872 Whites:

Post Office at William Ellis?s

1879

1879 Wrights:

William Ellis bootmaker + Post Office

1879 Whites

Post Office at William Ellis’s

1881 Census

1881 Census:

William Ellis 65 shoemaker; Harriet Ellis 66; Ann Ellis dau 39 dressmaker

1881 Census:

William Ellis 65 shoemaker; Harriet Ellis 66;

Ann Ellis dau 39 dressmaker

1881

1881 Kelly’s

William Ellis shoemaker + Post Office

1881 Kelly’s

Sub Post Office: William Ellis receiver

1885

1885 Whites:

William Ellis bootmaker + Post Office

1885 Whites:

Post Office at William Ellis’s

1892

1892 Cooks:

William Ellis shoemaker + Post Office

1892 Cooks:

William Ellis shoemaker + Post Office

1894

1894 Whites:

William Ellis bootmaker + sub-postmaster

1894 Whites:

Post Office at William Ellis’s

Mr William died Jan 1896 aged 80. Mrs Harriet Ellis died 3.1.1898 aged 83, wife to Mr William.

 

 

1897

1897-8

No Ellis listed

1897-8

Mrs E Farmer – sub-postmistress (post & telegraph)

1900

1900

Mrs E Farmer – sub-postmistress

Mrs Ellen Farmer, wife and mother; died 1.1.1904 – b 25.5.1862

1912

1912 Kelly’s:

William Sharp – Post & telegraph Office

1916

1916 Kelly’s:

William Sharp ? sub-postmaster

1918

1918 Sale Catalogue:

Cottages Lot 35 – Post Office Row, No 21 is Post Office, William Sharp tenant / sub-postmaster

1923 

1923 Kelly-s:

William Sharp – sub-postmaster:

1928 

1928 Kelly’s:

Not identified

1932 

1932 Kelly’s:

Not identified

1936

1936 Kelly?s:

Not identified

William Sharp died 27.7.1937 aged 76. Mrs Helen, wife to William, died 3.3.1946 aged 80.

1938 

1938, 1942, Mrs Helen Sharp shopkeeper and post office.

1941 

1941 Kelly-s:

Not identified

Mrs Sharp then daughter Molly ran PO in 1940 – c1960

1950 Miss F A Sharp shopkeeper and post office.

1957 Francis A Sharp.

1961 Francis A Sharp – Post office.

Bernard Mastin, The Orchards Main St. John Mastin 70 Main St, John R Mastin 65 Main St.

1975 

1975 Mary and Bernard Mastin’s home, The Orchards opposite the Inn on Green, becomes the village Post Office. Mary was the Postmistress.

1987-89

1987 Post Office at The Orchards. Mary and Bernard Mastin ran this until 1989, when Mary became too ill. There was an armed robbery on the post office, but Bernard’s actions ensured the man was caught.

1989

onwards

1989 Post Office moved to near Lodge on Newark Rd.