Petersfield in the 19th C

Thomas Bonham continued to live at the house in the Market Square, later known as Castle House, after his brother Henry died. The two childless brothers had considerable land holdings in Buriton, West Meon and Petersfield. Thomas Bonham died in 1826 and left his estates to his cousin John Carter II who assumed the name Bonham Carter. He and his family moved to their newly built home Adhurst St. Mary in 1858.

Petersfield & Parliament

Petersfield was a 'rotten pocket Borough'. During their tenure of the Borough the Jolliffe family had acquired a large number of properties each with one or more votes. The shambles and even the statue had a vote. Independent Parliamentary candidates often queried election results. The results of June 27th 1826 were contested and eventually led to the publication of 'The Case of The Borough of Petersfield' in 1831. This was one of the sparks that led to the 1832 Reform Act.

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act resulted in the local parishes building the Union Workhouse at Love Lane which opened in 1836. This replaced the Petersfield Poor House of 1771 (a building extended in memory of John Jolliffe) at 36 42 Swan Street.

Roads & Enclosures

The mid 1820's saw a great improvement in Petersfield's road network, which we now take for granted. The long established (since 1711) Sheetbridge to Portsbridge turnpike road was improved at Butser by the cutting, to make the road straight instead of going higher up round the coomb. An Act of 1825 permitted the A272 to be built, linking Winchester to Midhurst via Petersfield.

Other changes in the town occurred in 1812 the statue of William III was moved from St. Peter's Road to the centre of the Market Square; Petersfield House had been demolished in 1793 and New Way (now St. Peter's Road) was re opened to the Square.

Education

Education during the 19th Century was provided for most of the children of the district. Churchers College continued but, by 1880, had moved to Ramshill. After the Bonham-Carters left, Castle House became a boys boarding school until the late 1890's. There were three smaller schools for young ladies.

A British School was established in 1845 by the Congregational Chapel in College Street. Following the Education Act of 1891 the school board built the Elementary School in 1894, which is the present Infant School next to the Police Station.

Churches

The first Methodist chapel in Petersfield was begun about 1836 in a Dragon Street building. In 1871 the Wesleyan group were able to build a chapel in the garden of 19 High Street, but fronting St. Peter's Road. They remained there until moving to a larger church at Station Road in 1903. Their first building is now St. Peter's Hall. The Primitive Methodists commenced to build their new chapel in 1902 at the junction of Windsor and Station Roads. There was an early Independent Chapel group who, in 1801, they were able to build their chapel in College Street.

St. Peter's Church underwent a restoration by Blomfield in1873 which considerably altered the building, adding a clerestory to the nave. St. Peter's churchyard was closed for burials in 1855 and a new cemetery was laid out on ground at Ramshill. St. Laurence Roman Catholic Church was built in 1891 by Mr. Laurence Trent Cave of Ditcham Park.

The Salvation Army first came in 1886 and they had a hall at the west end of Swan Street from 1892 1922. They opened their present site in 1924.

Railway

In late 1859 Petersfield was connected to the rail network when the line from Godalming was connected to the existing line at Havant by the London & South Western Railway. The LSWR constructed a single branch line from Petersfield to Midhurst which opened September 1st 1864. The railway increased the mobility of the population and this had a considerable effect on its composition.

Post Office

Petersfield with its road and rail connections had become a centre for postal operations. A new, purpose-built Post Office was opened in 1892 at 31 High Street,and by 1922 the Post Office had moved to its present site in the Market Square.

Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchange was built in 1866 on the corner of the Market Square and High Street. As it also functioned as a public hall it played an important role for the community.

Local Government

The County of Southampton was the first English shire from Saxon times. On April 1st 1889 the Hampshire County Council was set. On April 1st 1893 a Local Government Board of twelve elected members was able to take over from the Vestry of St. Peter's responsibility for Petersfield. On April 1st 1894 it became authorised as the Petersfield Urban District Council.

Hospitals

In 1870 after a considerable amount of local fund raising, the Petersfield Cottage Hospital was built. It was enlarged and improved in the ig!2o's and after 1945.