SMALLTHORNE is an ecclesiastical parish, formed from Norton-in-the-Moors parish, 27 Sept. 1859, one mile south-west from Norton, adjoining Burslem, with a station called Ford Green and Smallthorne station on the Biddulph branch of the North Staffordshire railway; it is in the North Western division of the county, Pirehill North hundred and petty sessional division, Leek union, Burslem county court district, rural deanery of Leek, archdeaconry of Stoke-on-Trent and diocese of Lichfield.

The "Local Government Act, 1858", was adopted by the parish January 15th, 1864, and it was governed by a Local Board, but this has been superseded by an Urban District Council, established under the "Local Government Act, 1895" (56 & 57 Vict. cap.73). St. Saviour's church, erected in 1850, is a building of rubble stone, in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north porch and a small western turret containing 2 bells: in 1885 the church was enlarged, a new vestry and organ chamber erected on the north side, a new south aisle built and the flooring relaid at a cost of £1,000, wholly defrayed by Robert Heath esq. of Biddulph Grange: there are sittings for 360 persons. The register dates from the year 1851.

The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £285, with residence, in the gift of the rector of Norton-in-the-Moors, and held since 1888 by the Rev. Frederic Robert Farbrother M.A. of Trinity College, Dublin. There are two Wesleyan chapels, and Primitive Methodist and Methodist New Connexion chapels. A cemetery of 2 acres was opened January, 1879, and is under the control of the Urban District Council. There is a working men's club and reading room, with about 70 Members. The area is 529 acres; rateable value, £6,799; the population of the district in 1891 was 5,279.

Parish Clerk, Thomas Tomkinson.

POST & M.O.O., S.B. & Annuity & Insurance Office, Smallthorne.- Thomas Fletcher, receiver. Letters arrive from Stoke-on-Trent on week days only at 5.20 a.m. & 3.35 p.m.; dispatched at 11 a.m. & 8.10 p.m. Ford Green & Smallthorne railway station is the nearest telegraph office

URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL.
Meeting day, last monday in each month at 7 p.m.
MEMBERS.
Chairman, Isaac Boulton
John Alcock
Rev. Fredc. Rt. Farbrother M.A
J.H. Sutton
C. Goodwin
A. Walters
J. Turner
Paul Lawton
E. Heath
Charles Skellern
George Chorlton
George Farrington
Samuel Cawley Thomas Emberton
George Mitchell

Clerk, F. Mason Julian, Burslem
Treasurer, G.W. Garlick

Medical Officer of Health, Jn. Aspinall M.R.C.S. Eng., Ford Green

Surveyor, Jn. Wm.Deane, Norton green, Norton-in-the-Moors

Sanitary Inspector, William Willatt, Nettlebank

Collector, Matthew Leese, Smallthorne

Registrar of Cemetery, Matthew Leese

SCHOOLS:-
Board, under Norton-in-the-Moors School Board, built in 1880, for 270 boys, 240 girls & 240 infants; average attendance, 240 boys, 175 girls & 160 infants; Richard

Nation, master: Miss F. Cooke, mistress; Mrs. Ellen

Nation, infants' mistress

National, built in 1852, for 138 boys & girls & 80 infants; average attendance, 128 boys & girls & 68 infants; Wilson Shaw, master; Miss Sarah Buckley, mistress

Catholic, for 80 boys & girls & 25 infants; average attendance, 72 boys & girls & 29 infants; Miss Davenport, mistress; Miss Lucy Frain, infants' mistress

Police Station, Henry Lees, sergeant in charge

Railway Station, Ford Green & Smallthorne, James Walley, station master
[Kelly's Directory of Staffordshire, 1896]