Leicestershire Genealogical Records
Leicestershire Birth & Baptism Records
An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
An index to births registered at the central authority for England & Wales. The index provides the area where the birth was registered, mother's maiden name from September 1911 and a reference to order a birth certificate.
An index to births registered to British Army personal at home and abroad.
An index to over 100,000 birth and christening notices from The London Times.
Leicestershire Marriage & Divorce Records
An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Abstracts of marriage licences granted by the Vicar-General in London. These licences could be used to marry in any church in the Province of Canterbury.
Transcriptions of marriage registers for around half the parishes in Leicestershire. They list brides and grooms, their residence, marital status and occasionally other details. Also included are transcripts of records that detail intentions to marry.
An index to marriage bonds and allegations issued by the Archdeaconry of Leicester. Contains the name of both parties (indexed by groom), their abodes and year of allegation.
Transcripts of Anglican marriage registers from over 100 churches in Leicestershire.
Leicestershire Death & Burial Records
An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of death and burial records that cover over 140 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
An index to deaths registered at the central authority for England and Wales. To 1866, only the locality the death was registered in was listed. Age was listed until 1969, when the deceased's date of birth was listed. Provides a reference to order a death certificate, which has further details.
An index to deaths of British Army personal at home and abroad.
Leicestershire Census & Population Lists
An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.
The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
A survey of landowners in early 12th century Leicestershire.
The 1901 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
The 1891 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
Newspapers Covering Leicestershire
A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.
A database allowing full text searches of a newspaper covering regional news, family announcements, obituaries, court proceedings, business notices and more in the Leicestershire area.
A London newspaper that later became The Sun.
A left-wing, British daily that sold up to 2 million copies a day at its peak.
Digital images, searchable by text, of a British daily tabloid.
Leicestershire Wills & Probate Records
Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.
An index to wills, proved by the Derby Probate Registry. Index includes name, residence and year of probate. Contains entries for Yorkshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and other counties.
A calendar to wills and admons granted by the Archdeaconry of Leicester. Contains year of the grant, name and residence.
An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.
A searchable database of mid-17th Century probates performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Supplies details of testator and executor.
Leicestershire Immigration & Travel Records
A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.
A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.
An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.
Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.
Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.
Leicestershire Military Records
A history of the firth's WWI movements and campaigns.
Profiles and photos of memorials in the county. Names from the monuments have been transcribed.
Brief details of 13,680 of the counties' men who lost their lives in WWI.
A list of names found on World War One monuments in Leicestershire, with some service details.
A list of names found on World War Two monuments in Leicestershire, with some service details.
Leicestershire Court & Legal Records
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
Records of over 300,000 prisoners held by quarter sessions in England & Wales. Records may contain age, occupation, criminal history, offence and trial proceedings.
Over 175,000 records detailing prisoner's alleged offences and the outcome of their trial. Contains genealogical information.
Digital images of ledgers recording those registered to vote, searchable by an index of 220 million names. Entries list name, address, qualification to vote, description of property and sometimes age and occupation.
From the late 18th century many prisoners in Britain were kept on decommissioned ships known as hulks. This collection contains nearly 50 years of registers for various ships. Details given include: prisoner's name, date received, age, year of birth and conviction details.
Leicestershire Taxation Records
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.
A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.
An index to wills and administrations that incurred a death duty tax. The index can be used to order documents that give a brief abstract of the will and details on the duty. It can be used as a make-shift probate index.
Leicestershire Land & Property Records
A survey of landowners in early 12th century Leicestershire.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.
Abstracts of records detailing the estates and families of deceased tenants from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.
Leicestershire Directories & Gazetteers
A directory of settlements in Leicestershire & Rutland detailing their history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.
A directory of settlements in Leicestershire detailing their history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.
Leicestershire Cemeteries
Photographs and descriptions of Leicestershire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.
Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.
Several thousand transcribed memorials remembering those connected with the nautical occupations.
Leicestershire Obituaries
The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.
A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.
A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.
This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.
A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.
Leicestershire Histories & Books
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Profiles of parish churches in the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. Richly illustrated with professional-grade photographs.
Photographs and images of churches in Leicestershire.
A short dictionary of agricultural terms used in the counties of Leicester and Rutland.
An index of windmills in the county, with brief notes and some photographs.
Leicestershire School & Education Records
A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.
A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.
A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.
Leicestershire Occupation & Business Records
A short history of those who transported goods in part of Leicestershire.
Profiles of coal and metal mines in the Midlands region of England.
Short histories of former public houses, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.
An index to and images of registers recording over 3.7 million trade union members.
Books listing doctors who were licensed to operate in Britain and abroad. Contains doctor's residencies, qualification and date of registration.
Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Leicestershire
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Leicestershire Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Photographs and descriptions of Leicestershire's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
Over 600 pedigrees for English and Welsh families who had a right to bear a coat of arms.
Leicestershire Church Records
Profiles of parish churches in the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. Richly illustrated with professional-grade photographs.
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
Documentation for those baptised, married and buried at England. Parish registers can assist tracing a family back numerous generations.
The primary source of documentation for baptisms, marriages and burials before 1837, though extremely useful to the present. Their records can assist tracing a family back numerous generations.
Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.
Biographical Directories Covering Leicestershire
Biographies, including some portraits, of Leicestershire men and women who agitated for political reform.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.
Leicestershire Maps
Digital images of maps covering the county.
Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.
Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.
Leicestershire Reference Works
A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.
Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.
A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.
A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.
A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.
Historical Description
LEICESTER is an inland shire, but near the eastern sea; in shape it is hollow towards the north, and running to a peak towards the south, and is 39 miles from north to south, and 38 from east to west.
The area of the county was 528,986 acres, but under the provisions of the “Local Government (England & Wales) Act, 1888” (51 & 52 Viet. c. 41), by the Counties of Derby and Leicester (Woodville &c.) Order, dated May 8, 1897, and which came into operation Sept. 30, 1897, the parishes of Chilcote, Donisthorpe, Measham, Stretton-en-le-Field and Willesley, also part of Appleby, a total of 7,831 acres, were transferred from Derbyshire to Leicestershire; part of Little Bowden parish, comprising 513 acres, was also annexed from Northamptonshire, and Over and Netherseal and Woodville, of 4,252 acres, were taken from Leicestershire and added to Derbyshire. By these alterations the area is now 533,078 acres.
The population in 1801 was 130,082; in 1811, 150,559; in 1821, 174,571; in 1831, 197,003; in 1841, 215,867; in 1851, 230,318; in 1861, 237,412; in 1871, 269,311; in 1881, 361,258; and in 1891, 375,092; 180,709 males and 194,383 females. The number of houses in 1881 was, inhabited, 67,980; uninhabited, 4,820, and building, 536; and in 1891, 79,032 inhabited, 5,173 uninhabited and 564 building. The county is bounded on the north by Nottinghamshire, on the east by Lincolnshire, and Rutland, on the south-east by Northamptonshire, on the south-west by Warwickshire, and on the north-west by Derbyshire. The Staffordshire border touches on the west, Watling Street is the boundary on the south-west and the Avon and Welland rivers on the south-east. The Soar and Trent make part of the winding northern border.
Some of the rivergi bear Iberian names: but the first people known in this land were the Coritani Welsh, who were overcome by the Romans. This latter people had towns' at Ratae (Leicester), Pernometum and Manduessedum (Mancetter), on the south-western border. Watling Street, the Foss-way, Gartree Road, or the Via Devana, and the Saltway, crossing the Foss-way near the Six Hills, were the great Roman roads, and they seem to have had settlements at Narborough, Loughborough, Harborough, Broughton Astley, Queniborough, Overcester, Whatborough, Wellesborough, Brambro’, Burrough, Nether Broughton, Thornborough, Sharnford, Acresford, Swinford, Desford, Twyford, Scalford, Blackfordby, Burton-on-the-Wolds, Burbage, Burton Overy, Burton Lazars, Staunton Harold and Linford. There are not many camps left of the Romans or Welsh, but there are barrows of various tribes on the hills. After the Romans went away, this land was taken by the English and Warings, who were named the Middle English, and shared the fate of the kingdom of Mercia. Later, the Northmen settled here, mostly on the Wreak and Soar, where the names of the hamlets often end in by. Leicester became a great town of the Northmen, and was part of the strong commonwealth of the Five Burghs: it was within the Dane-laga. The Normans built many castles, as Leicester, Mountsorrel, Hinckley, Melton, Whitwick, Shilton, Groby, Donington, Ravenstone, Sanvey and Thorpe; but of these few remain. There were abbeys at Leicester, Garendon, Croxton and Owston, with many priories. During the Parliamentary War there was very much fighting, and Leicester was more than once taken.
Leicestershire is mostly a basin, drained by the Soar and Wreak, around which are elevations forming part of the great northern hills. The Soar rises in the South Leicestershire hills, with several heads, and flows northerly till it reaches the Trent, on the north-west border: it runs through Leicester, Mountsorrel and Loughborough, and is made navigable below Leicester; very many streams run into it, whereof the greatest is the Wreak, which, under the name of the Eye, rises near Pickwell, in Leicestershire, and flows through Melton Mowbray to the Soar below Syston; it is by means of canals made navigable. The Avon, Anker and Sence, Devon and Smite, Mease and Swift, are small feeders of the Trent which run in the outskirts of the shire. The Upper Trent skirts the north-west border for a few miles. The hills are the Wolds', forming the north-west and north-east boundaries of the basin of the Wreak; the range between the Welland and the Soar and the Avon, Leicester Forest and Charnwood Forest; Bardon Hill, in the Charnwood range, is the highest hill, being 853 feet above the level of the sea. Charnwood Forest is about 10 miles in length and 6 in breadth. The soil belongs mostly to the secondary formations, and has a great coal basin in the north-west, around Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The vale of the Soar lies on the red sandstone. Between this and the coal basin rise the slate and syenite hills of Charnwood Forest. In the north-east is the oolite limestone. Granite is largely worked in the county, 1,076,825 tons being raised in 1897, valued at £223,362. Coal, ironstone, limestone or plaster of paris and clay, are the chief mineral productions. In 1897 coal was raised to the extent of 1,626,555 tons, valued at £474,412; of iron ore 714,651 tons. The total output of clay in 1897 was from mines, chiefly fire clay, 56,559 tons, value £14,140; from quarries, chiefly brick day, 408,906 tons, value £39,605. Limestone was raised to the extent of 111,855 tons, value £16,137. There were only three blast furnaces at work in 1897, and their production is given with Lincolnshire. Altogether, Leicestershire lies high, but is well watered, healthy and mild. There are several mineral springs, of which the Ivanhoe baths at Ashby-de-la-Zouch are those most used.
The traffic of Leicestershire is carried on by the Wreak, Soar and Trent rivers, by canals and by railways. The Trent communicates with all the north-east of England, and from Leicester the Union and Grand Union Canals are carried in a winding line towards the south until they join the Grand Junction Canal. The Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal crosses West Leicestershire from north to south through Ashby, Market Bosworth and Hinckley, until it joins the Coventry Canal.
The great line of railway named the Midland passes through Leicestershire, leading from London and Bedford, by Market Harborough, Leicester, Mountsorrel and Loughborough, to Trent, Nottingham, Derby, and as far north as Aberdeen.
The Midland Railway enters the county on its southern border in the west portion at Ullesthorpe and the eastern at Market Harborough, uniting at Wigston, near Glen Parva, with a branch of the London and North Western, which comes from Nuneaton via Hinckley. The united line proceeds through Leicester, northward to Syston junction, where the Midland main line passes on to Trent junction and Derby, and a branch proceeds north-east to Melton Mowbray and Saxby, from which place the line is continued to Bourne, and jointly with the Great Northern railway to Cromer and Yarmouth, in Norfolk. At Saxby also a branch of the Midland railway from Kettering through Rutland joins in. A branch of the Midland railway runs from Leicester through Coalville to Burton, being joined at Desford by the branch from Leicester through Glenfield, and sending off a branch at Coalville to the north-west, which joins the Ashby and Melbourne line passing through the north-west comer of the county. At Melton Mowbray a joint line of the Great Northern and London and North Western railways, which proceeds from Leicester via Scraptoft, Lowesby and Great Dalby, crosses the Midland and proceeds north-west to Nottingham and north-east to Newark, a line from Market Harborough having joined it at John O’Gaunt, and there is a short line from Wellby and Stathern. Along the south-east border the London and North Western railway have a line from Rugby to Stamford and another through the western portion of the county from Nuneaton, through Market Bosworth and Coalville to Loughboro’, with a branch from Snarestone to Burton. The extension of the Great Central railway (late the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire railway) main line to London enters the county north of Loughborough, runs through that town, Quorndon, Rothley, Leicester, Whetstone, Ashley Magna, and Lutterworth leaving the county near Shawell.
Except in the south-east, Leicestershire is well supplied with water and railway communication. There was formerly a great traffic along Watling Street, and by the Market Harborough, Leicester and Derby road. There were about 330 miles of main road, and 1,400 miles of cross roads, mostly well made.
Leicestershire is a great grazing county, for which it is well fitted by the rich soils on the many rivers, but very much wheat and barley are grown. In the shire fine beasts and sheep are bred and fed, and here are some of the cleverest breeders in England: it yields good cheese, including a rich cheese, named Stilton, which was first made in the last century. Much wool is shorn, which is worked up into hosiery. Leicester, Hinckley and Loughborough are great seats of the framework knitters and makers of woollen and cotton hose. The elastic web and the shoe trade in Leicester are carried on to a considerable extent. Silk plush for hats and lace are likewise made. Here are many makers of agricultural implements. Collieries and iron mines are largely worked. Pottery and fire-brick making are carried on upon a great scale.
As a fox-hunting county Leicestershire is noted and much frequented; the Quorn and Billesdon hunts are the most famous, and have large stables and kennels; Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough are the head quarters of the hunting men during the season.
Leicestershire is in the Midland circuit; the assizes and quarter sessions are held at Leicester. The shire forms the archdeaconry of Leicester, which is divided into the rural deaneries of East, South and West Akeley, Christianity or Leicester, Framland (three portions), Gartree (three portions), Goscote (two portions), Guthlaxton (three portions), and Sparkenhoe (two portions) and was formerly a bishopric; it is in the diocese of Peterborough and the province of Canterbury: it has 322 civil parishes.
The chief town is Leicester, the great seat of the hosiery and the elastic fabric trades, with 142,045 inhabitants in 1891, (but the borough having been increased under the Leicester Extension Act, 1891, by the addition of 7 outlying parishes, the number was then 174,624), and good churches and public buildings. Other towns are-Loughborough, with 18,196 inhabitants, and Hinckley 9,638; Ashby-de-la-Zouch 4,535, Melton Mowbray 6,392, Market Harborough 5,876, Lutterworth 1,800, Castle Donington 2,591, Mountsorrel, Market Bosworth and Whitwick, which are market towns, besides Ullesthorpe, Coalville (pop. 11,223), Syston, Wigston, Barrow-upon-Soar, and many places peopled by the framework knitters. There are no great colleges, but there are grammar schools at Leicester and all the large towns, eight in all.
| No | Place | Area | Pop. in 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | Lutterworth | 59,118 | 12,391 |
| 401 | Market Harborough | 66,659 | 16,398 |
| 402 | Billesdon | 52,482 | 6,309 |
| 403 | Blaby | 33,645 | 21,695 |
| 404 | Hinckley | 28,192 | 20,699 |
| 405 | Market Bosworth | 53,255 | 15,640 |
| 406 | Ashby— de-la-Zouch | 54,019 | 36,368 |
| 407 | Loughborough | 45,820 | 30,931 |
| 408 | Barrow— upon-Soar | 50,452 | 22,641 |
| 409 | Leicester | 8,586 | 174,624 |
| 410 | Melton Mowbray | 99,545 | 21,590 |
Parliamentary Representation of Leicestershire
Leicestershire formerly was divided into two divisions and returned four members; under the provisions of the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885,” it now returns four members, but has four divisions.
No. 1.-Eastern or Melton division comprises the sessional divisions of Belvoir, East Norton (except so much as is comprised in division No. 4) and Melton Mowbray, and the parishes of Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, Beeby, Belgrave, Birstall, Busby, South Croxton, Evington, Houghton-on-the-Hill, Humberstone, Hungarton, Keyham, Queniborough, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreak, Rearsby, Scraptoft, Great Stretton, Little Stretton, Stoughton, Syston, North Thurmaston, South Thurmaston, Thurnby and Wanlip in Leicester sessional division and the parishes of Cossington, Seagrave and Sileby in Loughborough sessional division.
No. 2.-The Mid or Loughborough division comprises the sessional division of Loughborough (except so much as is comprised in division No. 1), the parishes of Bardon, Breedon, Osgathorpe, Thringstone and Whitwick in Ashby-de-la-Zouch sessional division and the parishes of Ansty, Ansty Pastures, Beaumont Leys, Cropston, Gilroes, Leicester Abbey, Leicester Frith, Markfield, Newtown Linford, Ratby and Thurcaston in Leicester sessional division.
No. 3.-Western or Bosworth division comprises the sessional divisions of Ashby-de-la-Zouch (except so much as is comprised in division No. 2) and Market Bosworth.
No. 4.-Southern or Harborough division comprises the sessional divisions of Lutterworth and Market Harborough, so much of the sessional division of Leicester as is not comprised in divisions No. 1 and 2, the parishes of Blaston, Bringhurst, Cranoe, Drayton, Great Easton, Glooston, Hallaton, Horninghold, Nevill Holt, Stockerston and Stoke Dry with Holy Oaks in East Norton sessional division and the municipal borough of Leicester.
Military
The troops in this county are under the North Eastern District command; Head Quarters, York.
Leicester is the depôt of Regimental district No. 17, the Leicestershire Regiment, which comprises the 1st and 2nd Battalions (17th Foot), and the Leicestershire Militia, which forms its 3rd battalion; the head quarters are at Glen Parva.
Yeomanry Cavalry
6th Yeomanry Brigade.-Head Quarters, Leicester.
Fairs and Markets
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Shrove Monday, Easter Tuesday, November 10; and one on first Tuesday after September 21 for hiring servants; Market day, Saturday.
Belton, second Monday after Trinity Sunday, for horses.
Billesdon, first Monday in October, for cattle.
Castle Donington, statute fair first Monday after St. Luke’s day.
Hallaton, Holy thursday and the thursday three weeks after, for cattle Hinckley, Easter Monday, August 26, for cattle, horses and sheep; market day, Monday .
Leicester, second Friday in March, Saturday week before Easter Sunday, Saturday in Easter week, second Fridays in May and July, for cattle, second thursday in October (sheep and horses), and second Friday in October (cattle and horses), second Friday in December, and cheese fairs second thursday in May and second thursday in October; for pleasure, 10th to 17th October; market day Saturday, and a fat cattle market on Wednesday.
Loughborough, second thursday in February, March, April, August and September; market day, thursday; cattle market on Monday and market for meat and vegetables on Saturday.
Lutterworth, first thursday after April 1, Holy thursday and first thursday after September 15 for cattle; Friday after September 16 for hiring servants; thursday after Old Michaelmas day, a sheep market and statute fair for luring servants, which is repeated on the two succeeding thursdays; market day, thursday.
Market Bosworth, May 8 and July 10 for cattle; market day, Wednesday.
Melton Mowbray, Monday and Tuesday after January 17th, Whit-Tuesday and August 21st, principally for horses, cattle and sheep; that in Whitsun week is also a great pleasure fair. Four new fairs, in spring and autumn, were established about 1853, and are held second Tuesday in April, September 29th, October 21st and 1st Tuesday after 8th December, for cattle. There are fairs for the sale of Stilton cheese held on the 2nd thursday in April, 4th thursday in September and 1st thursday in December. The market is held on Tuesday and is well supplied with com, cattle, horses and all kinds of provisions.
Mountsorrel, July 10 for nine days.
Waltham-on-the-Wolds, September 18 & 19 for cattle and horses.
The following table shows the acreage under each kind of crop, and the number of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs in the county of Leicester as taken from the Agricultural Returns, 1898 :—
| Crops | Acres |
|---|---|
| Corn and cereals | 67,279 |
| Boots, artificial grasses, cabbage, and rape | 20,480 |
| Glover and grasses | 26,893 |
| Permanent pasture | 356,045 |
| Bare fallow | 5,572 |
| Orchards | 1,188 |
| Woods and plantations (1895) | 14,282 |
| Live Stock | Number |
|---|---|
| Horses for agriculture and brood mares | 13,946 |
| Unbroken horses, one year and above | 4,728 |
| Ditto, under one year | 1,758 |
| Cows in milk or calf | 40,295 |
| Other cattle :— | |
| Two years and above | 50,825 |
| One year and under two | 22,265 |
| Under one year | 20,271 |
| Ewes kept for breeding | 106,543 |
| Sheep, one year and above | 94,459 |
| Ditto, under one year | 128,901 |
| Sows kept for breeding | 3,945 |
| Other pigs | 20,679 |
| Statistic | Number |
|---|---|
| Leicestershire contained in 1891, inhabited houses | 79,032 |
| Paridhes | 322 |
| In 1874, owners of land below 1 acre | 8,921 |
| Owners of land of 1 acre and upwards | 4,927 |
| Total landowners | 13,848 |
| Heath land used for grazing, acres | 583 |
| Total acreage of the county | 533,078 |
County Police
The force consists of 1 chief constable, 1 deputy chief constable, 7 superintendents, 7 inspectors, 22 sergeants, & 128 constables; total, 166.
Leicester County Council
Local Government Act, 1888, 51 & 52 Vic. c. 41.
Under the above Act, Leicestershire, after the 1st April, 1889, for the purposes of the Act, except a certain borough, for which see below (a), became a separate and distinct administrative county (sec. 461-b), governed by a County Council, consisting of chairman, aldermen and councillors elected in manner prescribed by the Act (sec. 2).
The chairman by virtue of his office, is a justice of the peace for the county, without qualification (sec. 46).
The police for the county are under the control of a standing joint committee of the Quarter Sessions and the County Council, appointed as therein mentioned (sec. 9).
The coroners for the county are elected by the County Council, and the clerk of the peace appointed by such joint committee, and may be removed by them (sec. 83—2).
The clerk of the peace for the county is also clerk of the County Council (sec. 83—1).
The administrative business of the county (which would, if this Act had not been passed, have been transacted by the justices) is transacted by the County Council.
(a) The following large borough for the purposes of this Act is an administrative county in itself, called a County Borough (sec. 30), of which the municipal authority shall have the power of a County Council (sec. 31)-Leicester.
SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, AND EXTENT
LEICESTERSHIRE is an inland county, and bounded on the north by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire; on the east by Lincolnshire and Rutlandshire, on the south by the river Welland, and on the south westand west by Warwickshire, from which it is divided by the ancient Roman road of Watling Street from near Atherstone to the south of Lutterworth, about 20 miles. It also just touches upon Staffordshire in one point between Warwickshire and Derbyshire. Its greatest length from the south of Lutterworth, to the north part of the vale of Belvoir, is 45 miles, and the greatest breadth from Netherseal in the west, to Wymondham or Easton Magna in the east, is upwards of 40 miles; its mean diameter is about 30 miles and it contains about 816 square miles, and 522,000 acres.
NAME AND ANCIENT HISTORY
This county takes its name from its principal town, derived from the Saxon Ledcesterscyre, a town or castle on the Leir, the ancient name of the river Soar. Previous to the Roman invasion, this part of the country was inhabited by the Coritani, but was afterwards called Flavia Cæsariensis. In the Saxon Heptarchy it belonged to the Kingdom of Mercia.
CLIMATE AND SOIL
The climate is in general mild and temperate as there are no mountains or bogs; the highest ground in the county is some of the peaks in Charnwood Forest; these have the true mountain appearance of bare and barren rocks, projecting abruptly from the surface; though the elevation of these peaks is not more than 8 or 900 feet above the level of the sea, and consequently within a temperate region of the atmosphere: the whole of the country may therefore be pronounced mild and temperate.
This county has no surface soil that can properly be denominated clay or sand; it has no chalk, and its peat bogs have been long since drained, and are now become meadow soil, a compost of peat and sediment. The peat was originally formed by aquatic vegetation, and the sediment brought down by streams and rain water from the uplands. The soil is therefore divided into three classes: 1 Clay loam; 2 Sandy or gravelly loam; and 3 the meadow soil formed as above, though it is very liable to vary much in short distances. The general appearance of the county is marked with interest and variety; the hills and vales are connected by easy slopes, and with few abrupt precipices, so that almost the whole surface is practicable and useful.
POPULATION
This consisted, according to the returns of 1811, of 73,336 males, and 77,053 females, making a total population of 150,419 persons, having increased 20,338 from the year 1801 to that period.
RIVERS AND CANALS
This county is well watered by rivers, brooks, and rivulets; but though it has no extensive natural lake, there are several artificial ponds or pools of considerable size, particularly one at Grooby, which, according to Throsby, contains fourscore aces. There are others attached to gentlemen’s seats, as fishponds, and also pools for the working of water mills.
The public spirit and enterprize of modern times have also well supplied the county with artificial canals for navigation, and to some of them are attached reservoirs for affording them a constant supply of water.
The principal natural river is the Soar, as the Trent can hardly be said to belong to this county, though it touches upon it from Lord Moiras park, for 5 or 6 miles north easterly, dividing this county from Derbyshire. The Soar rises between Hinckley and Lutterworth, and, passing by Leicester and Loughborough, falls into the Trent near Sawley in Derby shire, after receiving the Wreek above Mount Sorrel, and passing near Dishley. It divides this county from Nottinghamshire, for upwards of 5 miles; it is made navigable for barges from its junction with the Trent to several miles above Leicester, a distance of 20 miles and upwards. The Swift rises in this county, and passing by Lutterworth, soon leaves it and flows into Warwickshire. The Avon only separates the south-west part of this county from Northamtonshire, as the Welland, which rises near Harborough, after passing by that town, separates the south-east part of this from that county.
The Wreek rises in the eastern part of the county, and, passing by Melton Mowbray, falls into the Soar above Mount Sorrel. The Anker rises near the source of the Soar, and, running north-west near the confines of this county and Warwickshire, falls into the Avon. Besides these rivers there are a number of springs and rivulets, on the margins of whose banks, and on those of the rivers, are often large breadths of meadow land of abundant fertility.
The Ashby Canal is navigable from Ashby Wolds to the Coventry Canal, near 30 miles in length, cut on a level without a lockage. To supply this canal with water, a reservoir has been formed upon the Wolds, when full containing 36 acres of water; this is quickly filled by the rain and melted snows of winter, and dealt out gradually in summer. This canal, with all its branches, is 50 miles long, and has 252 feet lockage. Leicester navigation, on or near the line of the river Soar, sometimes along the channel of that river, in other places carried out by lockage into a new channel; the line is from Leicester, down the Soar Valley to the Trent, with a collateral branch to Loughborough, and this latter continued over part of Charnwood Forest by canal or rail-way to Cole Orton Colliery, and the Cloud Hill Lime work. The Melton Canal, from the Leicester Soar navigation along the valley of the Wreek, to Melton Mowbray and continued to Oakham, is capable of being carried to Stamford.
Grantham Canal runs from the Trent along the vale of Belvoir to Grantham, and has a large reservoir to collect winter water. This is capable of being continued to the sea at or near Boston. This canal is agreat accommodation to the Vale of Belvoir, where the roads in winter were dreadful, but for several years past, lime and coal have been conveyed with ease and pleasure.
The Union canal. —This canal commences at and joins the river Soar navigation on the west side of Leicester, and for near three miles, that is to Ayleston, runs, with a few deviations, in the course of that river: from Ayleston; the whole of the line running a southerly course passes Glen Parva, Wigston, Newton, Harcourt, Wistow, and Saddington, where there is a tunnel of 40 chains; from this tunnel, making an elbow, it passes Foxton, where is another tunnel of 48 chains, passing which is the branch to Market Harborough: from the above tunnel it makes a bend, crosses the river Welland, and passes between Marston, Trussel, and Hothorp, and turns up by East Farndon and Oxendon Magna, where is a small tunnel of 13 chains, near here is also the reservoir for the summit level supplied by the Oxendon Brook. From Oxendon it goes near Kelmarsh, where it passes another tunnel of 45 chains, and proceeds by Maidwell, Lamport, Hanging, Houghton, Brixworth, and, parallel with that branch of the river Nen called the Northern river, it passes Stratton, Pisford, Chapel Brampton, Kingsthorp, Dallington, and on the west side of Northampton joins the river Nen navigation, and the branch of the Grand Junction canal; completing a source of 43 miles and three quarters from Leicester to Northampton, with 407 ½ feet of lockage, and passing through four tunnels. The branch to Market Harborough, from the junction, is three miles and three quarters, and is level. The lockage may be more particularly specified as follows: from West Bridge, at Leicester, where it joins the Soar to near Saddington, is 12 miles and three quarters, with 160 feet rise; from thence to near Oxendon Magna is 13 miles and a half, and level; here in one furlong is a vise of 50 feet to the summit level, which continues to the south side of the tunnel at Kilmarsh near five miles; from thence, to the junction with the Northern River at Northampton is 11 miles and three quarters, with 197 ½ fall; from thence, to the junction with the river Nen, is three quarters of a mile, and level. The proprietors of this undertaking are incorporated under the name of “The Company of Proprietors of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal.”
Oakham canal, —commences at and joins the Melton Navigation on the south side of the town of Melton, and proceeding on the north side of the river Eye, passes Brentingby, Wiveby, Stapleford, Saxby Wymondham, Edmundthorpe, Market Overton, Barrow, Cottesmore, and Burley; and joins the town of Oakham on the north side, being a course of 15 miles; the reservoir is on the west side of the canal near Langham.
BRIDGES
This county having no large rivers, is not remarkable for bridges; the most considerable is Cavendish bridge over the Trent between this county and Derbyshire, on the road from Loughborough and Castle Donnington, to Derby. This bridge consists of five large and elevated arches, and is well known to travellers: those over the Soar and the other small rivers have nothing peculiarly deserving notice: besides-these there are a number of canal bridges built in the usual form.
ROADS
The Roman roads in this country are particularly described in Nichol’s History of Leicestershire. The Watling street enters the county at Dove Bridge, and proceeds thence to the Anker at or near Manchester, and not far from Atherstone, in a north-west direction, being the south-west boundary of the county for nearly 20 miles. The Foss, from Lincolnshire, enters the county at or near the Roman Station Vernometum; thence to Segg’s hill over Thrussington Wolds, crosses the Wreke near Syston, thence through Thurmaston to Leicester, passes near King Richard’s bridge, then turns to the left over the second branch of the Soar, and over the meadows to the Narborough turnpike road; continues with it to the four mile stone, then leaves it and the town and church of Narborough on the left, and continues to High Cross. The Via Devana, from Colchester to Chester, enters this county near Cottingham, and crossing the Welland passes Medbourne, near Slauston Mill, enters the enclosure and is the common bridle way; passing Gartre bush by Norton hedges, between the two Strettons close to Stoughton Grange, and over the fields to the south gate of Leicester, it joins the Foss but passes to the right of it to Grooby and Lord Stamford’s house; thence leaving Markfield Windmill a quarter of a mile south-west, it passes Ashby to Burton. The public turnpike roads are generally in good repair, and being great thoroughfares, are much frequented by travellers, mail and stage coaches, and heavy carriages, but having been once made good, they are easily kept in repair at a moderate expense, to which the tolls have been fully equal without the expenses running high. The county is generally sound, and abounds with gravel; but the principal staple material for the foundation, and repair of roads is the stone of Charwood forest. It is of the granite nature, wears well, and after having been broken with a hammer into small pieces, forms a smooth road. The roads in the neighbourhood of Loughborough and Ashby, are many of them laid out upon the concave system, Mr. Wilkes having been a great advocate for that form. The cross roads, in many parts, notwithstanding much money has been expended by some persons, are very bad. Many of the private farm-ways are also very indifferent and miry in the winter season.
IRON RAIL WAYS
Have been formed in this county with great spirit; these extend about 12 miles in length, from the Ashby canal to the Lount Colliery, and from Cole Orton to Ticknall and the Cloud-hill lime-works. On these rail-ways there are embankments and deep cutting to preserve the level; also a tunnel of a quarter of a mile in length, with arched bridges, for roads over the deep cutting, leading to the tunnel in the canal style. These rail-way appendages to the Ashby canal cost thirty thousand pounds.
WASTES
Leicestershire contains no moors, mountains, bogs, or fens, or at least none of any extent. Charnwood Forest, and Rothely Plain, are properly commons or sheep walks; the former contains 15 or 16 thousand acres, and the latter 5 or hundred. Charnwood though termed a forest, is quite bare and naked, containing no timber or underwood; it contains no deer: its present appearance, however, is bold and romantic, with a great variety of swells and elevations, terminating generally in bare and rugged rocks, a true mountain stone of the vitreous order. The soil is generally a moist grayish loam, in want of drainage in many places, but still worthy of cultivation and improvement. Large spaces are covered with a grassy verdure, and afford pasture to sheep and cattle.
ENCLOSURES
The enclosing of the Vale of Belvoir, being a rich district converted to grass, has, it is urged, a natural tendency to decrease the population, as less corn is certainly raised in Belvoir than in its open state. To this it is replied, that fewer horses are kept, and less oats and beans consumed in the district. In fact, so numerous have been the enclosures in this country, that some years since the whole did not contain more than 6 or 8 open fields dispersed in different quarters, and the whole did not exceed 10,000 acres of land. The enclosures near Gleufield, and some of the villages, are of ancient date, the fences being full of timber trees, arrived at maturity, but in small proportion to the extent of the parishes; they are divided into yards and small pastures. The grass-land consists of head lands and margins between the tillage land, including the low grounds or vallies. Upon the enclosure of Ashby Wolds, two entire new farms have been established some years since.
RENT AND SIZE OF FARMS
The farms of this county are of various and almost all sizes. In the vale of Belvoir, and in many other parts, as upon the Beaumanor estate, in the farms from 80 to 100 acres, the occupiers put their own hands to the plough. Many farms of this extent have been occupied by tradesmen or manufacturers. Farms from 100 to 200 acres are occupied by the principal breeders and graziers, and sometimes by the owner. On farms of this size the greatest experiments have been made; but the spirit of emulation has so far spread among the smaller farmers, that it has been observed “there is no land occupier in the county, but would be ashamed of shabby or inferior stock” Next to the improvement of live stock, and particularly sheep, is the improvement of grass-lands among the Leicestershire farmers.
The rent of farms here maybe reckoned from one pound to two pounds per acre; the average, 30 shillings; the rent of water meadow land, and good grass and other land, near towns, three pounds to five pounds per acre, and in some few instances higher. The credit given for rents is three months in hand; thus rents due at Lady Day are paid about Midsummer, and those due at Midsummer, at Christmas.
TITHES
The ancient enclosed land here is generally titheable; the modern enclosures are mostly exonerated by an allotment of land, which is commonly about one-seventh part of the whole, in lieu of tithes; however, as no doubt is entertained that the quantity of grain grown is lessened by the land being titheable, an equivalent in land given to the tithe owner is, in all cases, for the benefit of all parties concerned; and in the vale of Belvoir this experiment has been made over and over again, to the mutual satisfaction of all parties. The Vicarial tithes are also, in many cases, compounded for by a modus, or rent charge, in money, which is generally under real value, having been fixed in former times, and not since altered. Where the tithe is still collected in kind, Mr. Marshal states the custom to be; that of taking every tenth sheaf where the titheman sets them up, but only every eleventh, if set up by the occupier.
FARM-HOUSES AND OFFICES
The farm-houses of this county, like those of most others, comprehend every variety of construction, and state of repair. Among respectable breeders and graziers, good substantial houses of brick and tile are to be found, or of other permanent and durable materials; but in many of the villages, the farm-houses are of inferior construction, timber and plaster walls covered with thatch; these, as they decay, are gradually removed to the midst of the occupations, and built with more substantial materials. In general, the modern enclosed parishes have the worst farm-houses, they being almost always cooped up in the villages; in the more ancient enclosures farm-houses have been built in the midst of the occupations, and with better materials.
Dishley farm-house is of ancient construction, and has probably been built at different times. The outbuildings too, seemed to have been put up at different times, as wanted. The yards and pavements are remarkable for a neat cleanliness.
COTTAGES
This county is not famous for convenient or comfortable cottages; they often, even in the villages, consist of mud-walls and thatch; many brick houses are also covered with thatch, which is supposed to be warmer than tile or slate, unless the latter is plastered underneath; but for security from fire, and cleanliness, brick is incomparably the best. Mud-walls are erected not only as fences for yards, court, gardens, and homesteads, but also for hovels, out-houses, &c. as fence walls they are coped with clods, and in tempering, the mud is mixed with chopped straw, or stubble, to hold it together. Road scrapings are the best materials for these walls.
LEASES
The leases granted in this county vary according to the nature of the soil and local customs. —They have been longer in form than necessary, and contained much useless matter; but some modern ones have been simplified and brought into less compass. However, a repugnance to grant leases under the idea of keeping the tenants more in a state of subjection, has been imputed to some gentlemen; and this has been accordingly placed among the greatest obstacles to improvement.
TENURES
Tenures, in this county, are principally freehold, with some little copyhold; manor courts are pretty generally held, even where the copyhold tenure is extinct; and their utility is experienced upon many occasions, as the settlement of boundaries, and preventing of litigations, appointment of constables, &c. A very small proportion is church tenure, or held under life leases, and renewable between the parties upon payment of a fine.
IMPLEMENTS
The Plough principally in common use all over the county, is the common plough of the midland counties, very generally used upon all sandy, gravelly, or loamy soils, of moderate dryness, or friability, and not being too moist or tenacious. —The ploughs upon Lord Moira’s farms are not very distinct from this, except that there are no wheels: they are held by the hand and drawn by two horses abreast, guided by reins in the Norfolk and Northumberland manner. The Harrows, in general, have nothing singular in their construction. Among the rollers the common simple one, with a pair of shafts, is still the most used. Stone rollers are not uncommon in many places; but the most remarkable roller, seen in the county by Mr. Parkinson, was the double spiked one at Lord Moira’s, made at Newark. Cooke’s drill machine has long been in the hands of the principal farmers; both this and Bailey's Northumberland drill are used at Lord Moira’s for turnips. Of horse-hoes there are several sorts in use, to mould up beans, potatoes, cabbages, &c. Shufflers, or cultivators, are also pretty much used, as are thrashing machines, and mills, with winnowing machines, chaff-cutters, bruisers, &c.
CARRIAGES
The Leicestershire waggons, have either six-inch wheels, or narrow wheels, the former with double shafts, drawn double by six horses; the latter single, by four or five horses. The tumbrils have six inch, or narrow wheels. One horse covered carts, are much used for marketing by gentlemen’s families, farmers, butchers, and gardeners. Gigs, or one horse chairs, are pretty much used by gentlemen and travellers, and by the better sort of farmers and tradesmen.
CATTLE
The natural breed of cattle in Leicestershire has for some time been the long horned; and it is scarcely necessary to add, that the spirit of emulation was first raised by the late Mr. Robert Bakewell, of Dishley Farm, near Loughborough. It was repeatedly ascertained by him that the improved breed was less voracious, and kept themselves in good condition with less food, than any other of equal weight, and more particularly than the short horn of Holderness.
HORSES
The Dishley breed of horses, originated in that of Flanders, whence Mr. Bakewell selected the most valuable he could procure, and that at very great prices. The handsomest horse I have ever seen of the Leicestershire breed (says Mr. Marshall) and perhaps the most picturable horse of this kind ever bred in the island, was a stallion of Mr. Bakewell’s named K. He was in reality the fancied war-horse of the German painters, who in the luxuriance of imagination, never perhaps excelled the natural grandeur of this horse. A man of moderate size seemed to shrink under his fore end, which rose so perfectly upright, that his ears stood (as Mr. Bakewell says every horse’s ears ought to stand) perpendicularly over his fore feet. It may be said, with little latitude, that for grandeur and symmetry of form, viewed as a picturable object, he exceeded as far the horse, which this superior breeder had the honour of shewing to his Majesty, and which was afterwards shewn publicly some months in London, as that horse does the meanest of the breed. Nor was his form deficient in utility. He died in 1785 at the age of 19 years.”
From many curious anecdotes related from one generation to another, from extraordinary facts preserved in the archives of some of the oldest families, and from certain old parochial registers, Leicestershire seems to have been always eminent for a useful and beautiful breed of black horses. The farmer’s chief pride was in his team of horses, and it frequently carried him into very blameable lengths in bestowing that attention and expense upon his horses, which by the immutable laws of nature belonged to his family and children.
OXEN
The Oxen reared in this county, for work or otherwise, are generally of the long-horned breed; but numbers are bought in for fatting, and sometimes worked of all breeds, though not more than a twentieth part of the team-work of the county is done by oxen.
BULLS
The large sums for which some of the bulls bred in this county have been let out for the season, serve likewise to shew the estimation of the Leicestershire breed of cattle in the public opinion. Among other iustances, in the year 1793, Mr. Paget sold several bulls, heifers, cows, and calves, by public auction, when some were knocked down at the following extravagant prices. A bull, called, “Shakespear,”described in the catalogue as (“bred by the late Mr. Fowler) by Shakespear, off young Nell. Whoever buys this lot, the seller makes it a condition that he shall have the privilege of having two cows bulled by him yearly”—Four Hundred Guineas !! A bull calf, 31 guineas; a three years old heifer, 70 guineas; others at 35 and 32 guineas each; a two years old heifer, at 84, and another at 60 guineas. Mr. Monk likewise mentions the following singular anecdote, in illustration of their value. Mr. Bakewell had let out a bull for 50 guineas for the season, but the gentleman who hired the bull dying before the expiration of the season, his executors, ignorant of the agreement, sold the animal, with other stock, at a public auction. The bull, being bought by a butcher for about eight pounds, was killed. Soon afterwards Mr. Bakewell, not knowing of the transaction, sent for it, when he was informed of the circumstance, and the executors refusing either to pay the stipulated sum, or the value of the beast, he was necessitated to seek restitution in a suit at law. His demand was 200 guineas for the bull, and 50 more for the season. The executors’ plea for resisting this demand was grounded on the publicity of the sale, and the small sum that it then obtained, although “there were many farmers present and some of them thought to be men of judgment.” On the trial, however, several witnesses gave their opinion, on oath, that the property was not overvalued, and after a full examination of the case a verdict was given in favour of Mr. Bakewell, “to the full amount, with costs of suit.”
Though it is evident that Mr. Bakewell’s plan of breeding is entitled to the highest commendation, yet it has not been without its opponents, and therefore, in justice to both parties, we shall insert the following, which, among other arguments, have been employed to depreciate its merits.
“Mr. Bakewell’s cattle, selected and reared with immense care and cost, assumed that stately and beautiful appearance which charmed a whole country, where such a sight was perfectly novel; and the cultivators, being admitted in the critical moment of the animal’s bite, were equally ready either to be duped or instructed. The idea was new, and the rationale of it centered in the indention and judgment of a single enterprizing individual. It could not be supposed that his purchasers and disciples were first-rate judges of the true lines of animal proportion, or that they could artfully and scientifically combine the ideas of beauty and utility: for it is well known, that these are extremely variable and uncertain among our cattle-fanciers. The truth is, a large quantity of beautiful and valuable stock was distributed about the country from Dishley; and of this there was no small share, the sole value of which consisted in a sleek and bulky appearance, conferred solely by the great care and expense of the breeder. These animals having cost the purchasers, or those who hired them, considerable sums, it was a necessary consequence that their produce would be valuable in proportion: and Bakewell shrewdly observed, “that the only way to have a capital stock is to keep the price high.” In aid of these natural and legitimate causes of the high prices of the Dishley breed, others were superadded, which, although but too common in all matters of bargain and sale, are not considered as being so candid. A sort of monopoly was created among the fraternity of improvers, who adopted all the arts, and put in practice all the tricks of jockies and horse dealers. Sham contracts and purchases were made at wonderful high prices; puffers were also regularly engaged to spirit up the buyers at auctions; and a young lord, or gentleman, with his pockets well lined, and his senses intoxicated by the fumes of improvement, was assure to be imposed upon by these as by the gentry at New market.-The pens of itinerant agriculturists, whose know ledge of live stock originated merely in their Writing about it, now took up the cause and blazoned forth the transcendant qualities of the “New Leicesters. „In consequence of this, the country began to consider these oracular decisions as orthodox: not so the town. The sages of Smithfield, before whom the fatted animals of all counties pass in hebdominal review, and who try the merits of all by the unerring standard of the balance, although they were compelled to purchase the commodity, never approved the barrel-shape, or the Dishley improvements. They objected that the original breed of Leicester sheep was more advantageous, in point of public utility than the new one; and that the Lincoln, a branch of the ancient family of the Teeswater, is, in respect to form, superior to all. They do not even scruple to assert, that the feeding of Dishley stock has never fairly repaid the cultivator. It is certain that Mr. Bakewell was not enriched, notwithstanding his unremitting exertions, the admirable economy of his farms, and the vast sums which he obtained for his cattle. But this is to be attributed entirely to the generous style of hospitality which he constantly maintained at Dishley; where every inquisitive stranger was received, and entertained with the most frank and liberal attention. The expanded heart of this man demanded more capacious means for the gratification of its generous desires; and it is evident, from his conduct, that he was ambitious rather of the honour, than the profit of his calling. „Mr. Bakewell’s farm at Dishley, according to Mr. Young, “consisted of 440 acres, no of which were arable, and the rest grass. On this he kept 60 horses, 400 large sheep, and 150 beasts of all sorts, and yet he has generally about 15 acres of wheat, and 25 of spring corn; the turnips not-more than SO acres. If the degree of fatness in which he keeps all these cattle be considered, and that he buys neither straw nor hav, it must at once appear that he keeps a larger stock, on a given number of acres. than most men in England: the strongest proof of all others of the excellence of his husbandry.“
SHEEP
The present sheep have been arranged in three varieties; 1, the old Leicester; 2 the new Leicester; and 3, the forest sheep. The old Leicester are a respectable breed, large, heavy, and fall of wool, but strong in the bone, and somewhat coarse in the pelt. —All agree in imputing the new Leicester breed to Mr Bakewell. Their offals are small, and their profitable points large; their backs are broad and straight; their breasts full; bellies tucked up; heads small, neck pelts light, and their wool fine of its kind. The superior qualities of the Leicestershire breed, are, that they not only feed quickly fat at almost any age, even on indifferent pasture, but that they carry the greatest quantity of mutton upon the smallest bone. Their carcases are round, their backs remarkably broad, and their legs thin. The following measurement of a ram of Mr Bakewell’s, mentioned by Mr Young in his Eastern Tour, will shew the immense size to which they may be fed. At three year sold, his girt was five feet ten inches: height, two feet five inches; breadth over his shoulders, one foot eleven inches and a half; breadth over his ribs one foot ten inches and a half; and breadth over his hips, one foot nine inches and a half.
“But the great importance of this breed of sheep (observs a modern writer) will best be shewn, by stating the following facts respecting the modern practice of letting out rams for hire, by the season; which, from very small beginnings, has already risen to an astonishing height; and is likely for some time to prove a copious source of wealth to the country at large. About 40 years ago, Mr. Bakewell let out rams at sixteen and seventeen shillings a piece; and from that time, the prices kept gradually rising from one guinea to ten. But the most rapid increase has taken place since the year 1780: four hundred guineas have been repeatedly given. Mr. Bakewell, in the year 1789, made 1200 guineas by three rams; two thousand of seven: and of his whole stock, 3,000 guineas. Astonishing as this may appear, it is nevertheless ah undoubted fact. But it ought to be observed, that these great prices are not given by graziers, for the purpose of improving their grazing stock; but by principal breeders, in order to procure a stock of rams of the improved breed, which they let out again to breeders of an inferior class. The prices given by graziers, for the sole purpose of getting grazing stock, seldom exceed ten guineas, which is considered as an extraordinary price; five or six guineas being most frequently given.”
ASSES AND MULES
Are used in many parts of the county for carrying burdens, and have also, been introduced as farmer’s stock. Some of the former have been constantly kept at Lord Moira’s, for carrying turnips, cabbages, or other green food, driven by boys or superannuated old men. The mules are capable of travelling any length, being possessed of more hardiness, patience, and preseverance than horses, and can subsist on much coarser food; their duration and longevity is surprising: they begin to work at two or three years old; are in their prime at thirty, and are said to live to sixty or seventy. They have been used in the plough, as well as other draught, and make very hardy and useful hacknies.
MANUFACTURES
There are none in Leicestershire, except that of stockings, (the people employed on them are called stockeners) so that the shepherd and husbandman engross almost all to themselves; for as the latter supplied other counties with corn and pulse, the former sends wool into many parts of England. The whole county produces wheat, barley, peas, and oats; but its natural and most plentiful crops, are beans, especially that part of Sparkenhoe hundred, which lies about the village, thence called “Barton in the Beans,” where they are so luxuriant, that towards harvest time they look like a forest. Since the commencement of last century, cheese has become an article of such importance, that a large cheese fair is annually held in the county town; but among the different sorts manufactured, that called Stilton cheese is deemed the finest, and consequently obtains the highest prices. It acquired the title of Stilton from a place of that name in Huntingdonshire, where it was first publicly sold by retail; Mr. Marshal, in his agricultural work, on the “Midland Counties,” asserting that Mrs. Paulet, of Wymoridham, near Melton Mowbray, was the first person who manufactured this sort of cheese; but other dairy women lay claim to priority. It is however certain, that Mrs. P. being a relation, or intimate acquaintance, of the well-known Cooper Thornhill, who formerly kept the Bell Inn. at Stilton, first supplied that house with a peculiar and novel sort of cheese, which having obtained much celebrity, was frequently retailed by the landlord at half a crown per lb. This cheese is sometimes called the English Parmesan, and is usually formed in square vats. The cheeses seldom weigh more than twelve pounds each, and they are sometimes moulded in nets, though this mode is not deemed so eligible as that of the vat. Considerable quantities of it is made on the farms about Melton Mowbray. The process of making this cheese was for some time kept a secret, though it is now pretty well known; but as it may be manufactured equally well in other dairies as in those of Leicestershire, the following receipt may hot be unacceptable to those who may wish to make the experiment.
“To the morning’s new milk, add the skimmed cream of the preceding evening’s milking, with a proper quantity of rennet. When the curd is come it is not to be broken in the usual way of making other cheese, but it should be taken out carefully, and placed in a sieve to drain gradually. As the whey drains off, the curd is to be gently pressed till it becomes firm and dry, and turned frequently. —After taken from the vats, it is still kept in the cloth till quite dry and firm, and afterwards repeatedly brushed. If the dairy maid should not succeed in the first attempt, she ought not to be disheartened, for in a second or third trial she may be equally successful with an experienced maker.” Great care is required in order to keep the cheese sweet and good till fit for use; the precise time of keeping is not defined, as some farmers conceive that they are quite ripe in 12 months, while others contend that they ought not to be used under 18.
MINERALS
Leicestershire is not very famous for minerals; it contains, however, mines of coal, limestone, lead, iron-stone, slate, and freestone. There are coal mines at Cole Orton, and again at the Lount, and on Ashby Wolds; the two former are ancient works, but the latter was established by the Earl of Moira, now Marquis of Hastings; the Ashby carial can take off any quantity not wanted by the neighbourhood. Bredon lime works are dug in an insulated rock of considerable extent, with a slight covering of earth, on the summit of which is built the parish church. The kilns are in the form of an inverted segment of a cone. These lime works being dug in the side of a hill, are never incommoded by water, and the stone is conveyed down, instead of up, to the kilns. In the fissures of the lime-stone at Barrow, are found many curious fossil petrifactions, and fossil shells near Hinckley.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
The land measure in Leicestershire is regulated by what is termed statute measure; but for running measure, as hedges ditches, &c. and for digging, there is a customary perch-pole, or rod, containing eight yards in length, 220 such being a mile; or when squared as for digging, contain 64 square yards, 75 of these, and 40 square yards over, being an acre. The corn gallon contains 2150 four-tenths cubic inches, and from this the corn gallon is deduced of 268 eight-tenths, cubic inches; but instead of selling by such measure, the customary bushel of the county varies from eight and a half to nine gallons, each person believing he has a right to make what measure he pleases, provided it be as much or more than statute measure. In like manner cheese is sold, at 120lb. the hundred instead of 112lb., which is supposed and deemed a legal hundred weight. Of liquids, ale should be sold by the measure of 282 cubic inches to the gallon, but it is generally understood this measure is curtailed by the retailer, and that what passes for the full measure is only the wine gallon of 231 cubic inches.
Wool is sold by the tod of 28lb. avoirdupois, being two stone to the tod of 14lb. each; cheese and other articles are of course sold by the same weight per pound, except fresh butter, which is often made a little over the sixteen ounces. The general measure for grain in Leicester market, is supposed to be 34 quarts, or eight gallons and a half, to the bushel, and the custom of the county is said to fluctuate between this and nine gallons. Malt is seldom sold at more than eight gallons to the bushel.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
One of these, established as early as 1794, met annually on the fourth Wednesday in October, at Leicester, consisting of one hundred members; the Earl of Moira was the president. Their proper title is the Leicestershire and Rutlandshire Agricultural Society. Another society meet at Oakham and Melton Mowbray alternately, whose premiums are nearly similar to that at Leicester.
LEARNED MEN AND LITERATURE
Leicestershire has justly been remarked as “biographically rich.” Beaumont the dramatic writer, was born at Grace Dieu, in 1586, Bishop Beveridge was born at Barrow, in 1638, Robert Burton was born at Lindley, in 1576, he was a man of general learning. His “Anatomy of Melancholy” was reprinted a number of times. George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, was born at Drayton in the Clay, in 1624, Bishop Hall was born in the parish of Ashby de la Zouch, in 1574, Bishop Latimer was born at Thurcaston about 1470, Sir Edward Leigh, Critic and Hebrew Lexicographer, was a native of this county, as were Dr. Richard Pultenev the Botanist, T. Simpson the Mathematician, the learned William Whiston, and the more orthodox Hugh Worthington. Further particulars of eminent characters will appear in the description of various places in the course of this work.
The city of Leicester prints two weekly papers, the Leicester Journal and the Leicester Chronicle.
TITLES CONFERRED BY THE COUNTY
This county gives the title of Earl to the Townsend family, Harborough gives the same title to the Sherrards, Carleton gives the title of Baron to the Boyles, Hamilton that of Viscount to the Hamilton family. Hambleton confers the title of Baron on the Campbells; and Wellsborough that of Viscount to the Noels.
THE QUARTER SESSIONS
The quarter sessions are held at Leicester on the 11th of January, on the 11th of April, on the 11th of July, and on October 17.
CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS.
Leicestershire is divided into six hundreds, viz. East and West Gascote, Framland, Sparkenhoe, Gartree, and Guthlaxton; these are subdivided into 196 parishes, containing one borough, the city of Leicester, and eleven market towns, viz. Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Billesdon, Bosworth, Hallaton, Harborough, Hinckley, Loughborough, Lutterworth, Melton Mowbray, Mountsorrel, and Waltham-on-the-Wold. It is included in the Midland circuit, in the province of Canterbury, and diocese of York.
GLOSSARY OF AGRICULTURAL PROVINCIALISMS USED IN LEICESTERSHIRE
Acre, along measure of 4 roods.
Aigles, icicles.
Batch, the corn sent to a mill for family use.
Batch-bas, the bag containing it.
Batten, or bolting, a truss of straw.
Beggar’s needle, a weed, shepherd’s needle.
To Belt or burl, shearing the buttocks of sheep.
Beltings or burlings, wool so shorn.
Boar thistle, spear thistle, carduus lanceolatus.
Brush crop, crop sown on a stubble.
Butty, partner in a smill concern.
Byslings, or beastings, a cows first milk after calving.
Chadloek, or kadlock, wild mustard.
Camp or hogg, a hoard of potatoes.
Caps, or haeklers, hood sheaves of corn shocks.
Chapmanry, a small return on receiving money for beasts or corn.
Clam or clammed, starved by hunger.
Cleries, draft iron of a plough.
Cock heads, a weed, knapweed, also plantain heads. Crow flowers, crow foot ranunculus.
Corned, fed with grain.
Cullings, refuse, out cast of a flock.
Doglocki, belting or burling of wool.
Dog fennel, a weed, corn, chamomile.
Donk, damp.
Eavins, eaves of thatched buildings.
Elder, the udder of a cow.
Feeders, fatting cattle.
Fegg, rough dead grass.
Fettle, adjust, put in order.
Fin, a plant, ononis, rest harrow.
Finch backed, white backed, or streaked cattle.
Fitchet, a pole cat.
Galls, moist springy places on land.
Garner, a binn in a granary, or mill.
Gaun, a gallon measure, a small pail or tub.
Gearing, the harness of a horse, or ladder and side rails of a carriage in harvest.
Gorze, furze or whin, ulex Europæus.
Gurgeons, pollard, ora sort of bran.
Heart spurn, tape root.
Hengorse, thorny rest harrow; or to hike, strike, or gore with the horn.
Hooders, covering sheaves of wheat shocks.
Hubbs, naves or stocks of whee.
Kibble, to grind corn perfectly.
Kids, faggots.
Lag, a shake in timber.
Lamb hogs, yearling sheep before shearing.
Lap love, corn bind weed.
Lay, for cattle, hired pasture.
Muck, compost of dung and straw.
Pad, a traced path,
Passer, a nail passer, a gimlet.
Pen fallow, winter fallow.
Pengle, a small croft.
Piles, awns of barley.
Poothery, close cloudy weather.
Queest, the wood pigeon.
Quart of butter, three pounds.
Raun piked, dead branched tree, stag-headed.
Roarer, a restless cow, a rupture winded horse.
Rood, a customary measure of eight yards.
Ruck, a heap.
Sarver, a corn scuttle.
Seedness, seed time.
Shear hog, wether or ram, a yearling sheep.
Sough or suff, a covered drain.
Spinney, a clump or small coppice.
Stail, a handle, as a fork or mop stail.
Stalled, a carriage fast in a slough.
Stock up, to grub up.
Stodged, filled to the stretch.
Stump, a post
Tankard turnip, the long-rooted turnip.
Thack, to thatch.
Theave, a yearling ewe after shearing.
Thoan, damp, not thoroughly dry.
Thrave, 24 sheaves or boltings.
Twitch or, squitch, couch grass.
Wall spring, a spring breaking through the surface.
Wastrell, an outcast.
Willow weed, polygonum pezicaria.
Welly, almost.
Most Common Surnames in Leicestershire
| Rank | Surname | Incidence | Frequency | Percent of Parent | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patel | 14,768 | 1:69 | 8.86% | 9 |
| 2 | Smith | 14,530 | 1:70 | 2.30% | 1 |
| 3 | Taylor | 6,019 | 1:170 | 2.05% | 3 |
| 4 | Jones | 5,708 | 1:179 | 1.50% | 2 |
| 5 | Brown | 5,229 | 1:196 | 1.84% | 4 |
| 6 | Mistry | 4,759 | 1:215 | 21.95% | 331 |
| 7 | Singh | 4,408 | 1:232 | 5.20% | 54 |
| 8 | Wright | 4,225 | 1:242 | 2.66% | 11 |
| 9 | Clarke | 3,951 | 1:259 | 2.92% | 20 |
| 10 | Johnson | 3,944 | 1:259 | 2.06% | 7 |
| 11 | Kaur | 3,814 | 1:268 | 6.49% | 93 |
| 12 | Moore | 3,611 | 1:283 | 3.12% | 31 |
| 13 | Williams | 3,336 | 1:307 | 1.23% | 5 |
| 14 | Ward | 3,184 | 1:321 | 2.74% | 29 |
| 15 | Robinson | 3,128 | 1:327 | 1.94% | 10 |
| 16 | Hill | 3,045 | 1:336 | 2.57% | 28 |
| 17 | Hall | 3,041 | 1:336 | 2.15% | 18 |
| 18 | Green | 3,036 | 1:337 | 2.12% | 17 |
| 19 | Wilson | 3,027 | 1:338 | 1.54% | 6 |
| 20 | Allen | 2,889 | 1:354 | 2.74% | 38 |
| 21 | White | 2,750 | 1:372 | 1.84% | 15 |
| 22 | Walker | 2,749 | 1:372 | 1.81% | 14 |
| 23 | Cooper | 2,682 | 1:381 | 2.20% | 27 |
| 24 | Harris | 2,513 | 1:407 | 1.91% | 23 |
| 25 | Davies | 2,459 | 1:416 | 1.40% | 8 |
| 26 | Roberts | 2,360 | 1:433 | 1.62% | 16 |
| 27 | Wood | 2,338 | 1:437 | 1.77% | 22 |
| 28 | Thompson | 2,329 | 1:439 | 1.48% | 12 |
| 29 | Martin | 2,287 | 1:447 | 1.84% | 26 |
| 30 | Jackson | 2,266 | 1:451 | 1.68% | 21 |
| 31 | King | 2,262 | 1:452 | 2.01% | 33 |
| 32 | Harrison | 2,260 | 1:453 | 2.03% | 34 |
| 33 | Evans | 2,237 | 1:457 | 1.45% | 13 |
| 34 | Parmar | 2,199 | 1:465 | 18.96% | 659 |
| 35 | Chauhan | 2,196 | 1:466 | 23.99% | 871 |
| 36 | Lee | 2,176 | 1:470 | 2.04% | 37 |
| 37 | Morris | 2,147 | 1:476 | 2.05% | 39 |
| 38 | Bailey | 2,110 | 1:485 | 2.43% | 51 |
| 39 | Parker | 2,002 | 1:511 | 2.09% | 44 |
| 40 | Thomas | 1,995 | 1:513 | 1.44% | 19 |
| 41 | Turner | 1,942 | 1:527 | 1.52% | 25 |
| 42 | Edwards | 1,807 | 1:566 | 1.40% | 24 |
| 43 | Baker | 1,799 | 1:568 | 1.63% | 36 |
| 44 | Spencer | 1,792 | 1:571 | 3.75% | 124 |
| 45 | Chapman | 1,783 | 1:574 | 2.53% | 75 |
| 46 | Cox | 1,733 | 1:590 | 2.23% | 62 |
| 47 | Hughes | 1,727 | 1:592 | 1.49% | 30 |
| 48 | Palmer | 1,724 | 1:593 | 2.71% | 82 |
| 49 | Watson | 1,711 | 1:598 | 1.74% | 42 |
| 50 | Richardson | 1,686 | 1:607 | 1.93% | 49 |
| 51 | James | 1,671 | 1:612 | 1.84% | 45 |
| 52 | Bennett | 1,656 | 1:618 | 1.83% | 46 |
| 53 | Mason | 1,631 | 1:627 | 2.41% | 76 |
| 54 | Ball | 1,600 | 1:639 | 3.49% | 129 |
| 55 | Hunt | 1,568 | 1:652 | 2.43% | 81 |
| 56 | Burton | 1,554 | 1:658 | 3.31% | 126 |
| 57 | Carter | 1,549 | 1:660 | 1.79% | 52 |
| 58 | Simpson | 1,520 | 1:673 | 2.00% | 65 |
| 59 | Davis | 1,479 | 1:691 | 1.54% | 43 |
| 60 | Shah | 1,460 | 1:700 | 2.73% | 104 |
| 61 | Lewis | 1,399 | 1:731 | 1.26% | 35 |
| 62 | Price | 1,396 | 1:733 | 1.84% | 66 |
| 63 | Knight | 1,389 | 1:736 | 2.27% | 88 |
| 64 | Payne | 1,385 | 1:738 | 2.86% | 121 |
| 65 | Shaw | 1,378 | 1:742 | 1.63% | 55 |
| 66 | Bates | 1,317 | 1:777 | 3.60% | 168 |
| 67 | Marshall | 1,316 | 1:777 | 1.71% | 64 |
| 68 | Phillips | 1,302 | 1:785 | 1.48% | 48 |
| 69 | Wells | 1,290 | 1:793 | 3.02% | 133 |
| 70 | Adams | 1,282 | 1:798 | 1.74% | 68 |
| 71 | Scott | 1,261 | 1:811 | 1.23% | 41 |
| 72 | Gill | 1,258 | 1:813 | 2.42% | 106 |
| 73 | Foster | 1,248 | 1:819 | 1.74% | 72 |
| 74 | Gray | 1,238 | 1:826 | 1.83% | 77 |
| 75 | Khan | 1,230 | 1:831 | 1.20% | 40 |
| 76 | Cook | 1,208 | 1:847 | 1.41% | 53 |
| 77 | Clark | 1,206 | 1:848 | 1.06% | 32 |
| 78 | Mitchell | 1,203 | 1:850 | 1.38% | 50 |
| 79 | Miller | 1,195 | 1:856 | 1.52% | 61 |
| 80 | Sharpe | 1,153 | 1:887 | 6.34% | 403 |
| 81 | Stevens | 1,148 | 1:891 | 1.95% | 92 |
| 82 | Holmes | 1,147 | 1:892 | 1.83% | 84 |
| 83 | Brooks | 1,144 | 1:894 | 2.35% | 119 |
| 84 | Webster | 1,141 | 1:896 | 2.81% | 142 |
| 85 | Elliott | 1,138 | 1:899 | 2.23% | 109 |
| 86 | Odedra | 1,132 | 1:903 | 44.08% | 3,043 |
| 87 | Collins | 1,126 | 1:908 | 1.36% | 57 |
| 88 | Gibson | 1,125 | 1:909 | 2.14% | 105 |
| 89 | Hubbard | 1,108 | 1:923 | 8.87% | 611 |
| 90 | Richards | 1,104 | 1:926 | 1.66% | 78 |
| 91 | Young | 1,100 | 1:930 | 1.24% | 47 |
| 92 | Bell | 1,098 | 1:931 | 1.30% | 56 |
| 93 | Weston | 1,093 | 1:936 | 4.95% | 325 |
| 94 | Preston | 1,089 | 1:939 | 4.47% | 287 |
| 95 | Fisher | 1,083 | 1:944 | 1.85% | 94 |
| 96 | Wilkinson | 1,080 | 1:947 | 1.47% | 69 |
| 97 | Coleman | 1,055 | 1:969 | 3.26% | 200 |
| 98 | Chamberlain | 1,041 | 1:982 | 6.30% | 447 |
| 99 | Glover | 1,039 | 1:984 | 4.65% | 322 |
| 100 | Williamson | 1,026 | 1:997 | 2.77% | 162 |
| 101 | Russell | 1,020 | 1:1,003 | 1.75% | 97 |
| 102 | West | 1,006 | 1:1,017 | 2.04% | 114 |
| 103 | Page | 999 | 1:1,024 | 2.52% | 145 |
| 103 | Stevenson | 999 | 1:1,024 | 3.24% | 211 |
| 105 | Barnes | 998 | 1:1,025 | 1.63% | 87 |
| 105 | Gamble | 998 | 1:1,025 | 12.33% | 1,001 |
| 107 | Sutton | 996 | 1:1,027 | 2.97% | 189 |
| 108 | Hardy | 992 | 1:1,031 | 3.02% | 195 |
| 108 | Holland | 992 | 1:1,031 | 2.60% | 157 |
| 110 | Ellis | 987 | 1:1,036 | 1.39% | 73 |
| 111 | Morgan | 971 | 1:1,053 | 1.18% | 58 |
| 112 | Jordan | 963 | 1:1,062 | 3.08% | 204 |
| 113 | Barker | 959 | 1:1,066 | 1.59% | 90 |
| 114 | Anderson | 951 | 1:1,075 | 1.26% | 67 |
| 115 | Harvey | 950 | 1:1,077 | 1.65% | 98 |
| 116 | Grant | 949 | 1:1,078 | 2.21% | 132 |
| 117 | Fletcher | 939 | 1:1,089 | 1.72% | 101 |
| 118 | Potter | 932 | 1:1,097 | 2.95% | 203 |
| 119 | Matthews | 930 | 1:1,100 | 1.53% | 89 |
| 120 | Fox | 923 | 1:1,108 | 1.78% | 107 |
| 121 | Jarvis | 922 | 1:1,109 | 3.65% | 269 |
| 121 | Reynolds | 922 | 1:1,109 | 1.88% | 116 |
| 123 | Bird | 921 | 1:1,110 | 2.51% | 165 |
| 124 | Pancholi | 917 | 1:1,115 | 63.55% | 5,019 |
| 125 | Cooke | 898 | 1:1,139 | 2.47% | 172 |
| 126 | Garner | 897 | 1:1,140 | 4.82% | 394 |
| 127 | Webb | 889 | 1:1,150 | 1.35% | 79 |
| 128 | Ford | 883 | 1:1,158 | 1.78% | 112 |
| 129 | Joshi | 881 | 1:1,161 | 11.91% | 1,099 |
| 129 | Newton | 881 | 1:1,161 | 2.28% | 156 |
| 131 | Lowe | 876 | 1:1,167 | 2.18% | 143 |
| 132 | Marriott | 875 | 1:1,169 | 6.03% | 512 |
| 133 | Freeman | 874 | 1:1,170 | 2.53% | 184 |
| 133 | Watts | 874 | 1:1,170 | 2.05% | 134 |
| 135 | Mills | 867 | 1:1,180 | 1.39% | 85 |
| 136 | Booth | 860 | 1:1,189 | 1.97% | 131 |
| 136 | Riley | 860 | 1:1,189 | 2.19% | 150 |
| 138 | Kirk | 852 | 1:1,200 | 3.88% | 327 |
| 139 | Deacon | 849 | 1:1,205 | 9.39% | 881 |
| 140 | Cross | 848 | 1:1,206 | 2.48% | 185 |
| 140 | Pearson | 848 | 1:1,206 | 1.49% | 99 |
| 142 | Pickering | 841 | 1:1,216 | 4.64% | 405 |
| 143 | Porter | 840 | 1:1,217 | 2.22% | 158 |
| 144 | Hurst | 839 | 1:1,219 | 4.66% | 410 |
| 145 | Orton | 835 | 1:1,225 | 15.02% | 1,483 |
| 146 | Murphy | 831 | 1:1,231 | 1.17% | 74 |
| 147 | Ali | 828 | 1:1,235 | 1.13% | 70 |
| 148 | Chambers | 823 | 1:1,243 | 2.49% | 194 |
| 149 | Butler | 821 | 1:1,246 | 1.40% | 95 |
| 150 | Sharma | 819 | 1:1,249 | 4.05% | 365 |
| 150 | Solanki | 819 | 1:1,249 | 20.01% | 2,009 |
| 152 | Baxter | 817 | 1:1,252 | 2.86% | 232 |
| 153 | Gilbert | 809 | 1:1,264 | 2.60% | 207 |
| 153 | Powell | 809 | 1:1,264 | 1.34% | 91 |
| 155 | Bradshaw | 803 | 1:1,274 | 3.82% | 348 |
| 156 | Thorpe | 801 | 1:1,277 | 3.43% | 305 |
| 157 | Middleton | 793 | 1:1,290 | 3.00% | 257 |
| 158 | Ahmed | 792 | 1:1,291 | 1.09% | 71 |
| 159 | Tailor | 785 | 1:1,303 | 17.33% | 1,811 |
| 160 | Griffiths | 783 | 1:1,306 | 1.19% | 80 |
| 161 | Walton | 778 | 1:1,315 | 2.14% | 170 |
| 162 | Bradley | 772 | 1:1,325 | 1.62% | 123 |
| 163 | Hewitt | 770 | 1:1,328 | 2.66% | 230 |
| 163 | Perkins | 770 | 1:1,328 | 3.58% | 338 |
| 165 | Woodward | 766 | 1:1,335 | 2.82% | 247 |
| 166 | Andrews | 759 | 1:1,347 | 1.50% | 111 |
| 167 | Kelly | 757 | 1:1,351 | 0.95% | 59 |
| 167 | Murray | 757 | 1:1,351 | 1.39% | 102 |
| 169 | Warren | 756 | 1:1,353 | 2.24% | 188 |
| 170 | Harding | 748 | 1:1,367 | 2.06% | 173 |
| 171 | Griffin | 747 | 1:1,369 | 2.53% | 225 |
| 172 | Dixon | 746 | 1:1,371 | 1.28% | 96 |
| 173 | Warner | 745 | 1:1,373 | 3.47% | 339 |
| 174 | Hudson | 732 | 1:1,397 | 1.72% | 135 |
| 175 | Herbert | 727 | 1:1,407 | 4.11% | 420 |
| 176 | Stewart | 726 | 1:1,409 | 1.40% | 108 |
| 177 | Hayes | 724 | 1:1,413 | 1.83% | 146 |
| 178 | Mann | 723 | 1:1,415 | 2.41% | 219 |
| 179 | Saunders | 720 | 1:1,420 | 1.46% | 115 |
| 180 | Shepherd | 718 | 1:1,424 | 2.07% | 181 |
| 181 | Wardle | 715 | 1:1,430 | 6.98% | 760 |
| 182 | Graham | 714 | 1:1,432 | 1.27% | 100 |
| 183 | Hart | 709 | 1:1,442 | 1.67% | 136 |
| 183 | Reid | 709 | 1:1,442 | 1.90% | 161 |
| 185 | Rose | 706 | 1:1,449 | 1.56% | 130 |
| 186 | Holt | 705 | 1:1,451 | 2.62% | 250 |
| 187 | Curtis | 704 | 1:1,453 | 2.15% | 196 |
| 188 | Day | 703 | 1:1,455 | 1.43% | 117 |
| 188 | Marlow | 703 | 1:1,455 | 9.91% | 1,149 |
| 188 | Owen | 703 | 1:1,455 | 1.42% | 113 |
| 191 | Perry | 698 | 1:1,465 | 1.66% | 138 |
| 192 | Neal | 694 | 1:1,474 | 4.76% | 510 |
| 192 | North | 694 | 1:1,474 | 4.29% | 463 |
| 194 | Carr | 692 | 1:1,478 | 1.75% | 147 |
| 195 | Pollard | 691 | 1:1,480 | 3.99% | 426 |
| 196 | Farmer | 689 | 1:1,484 | 4.31% | 473 |
| 197 | Lawrence | 686 | 1:1,491 | 1.46% | 127 |
| 198 | Goodwin | 683 | 1:1,497 | 2.50% | 245 |
| 198 | Hammond | 683 | 1:1,497 | 2.20% | 209 |
| 200 | Dawson | 682 | 1:1,500 | 1.46% | 128 |
| Rank | Surname | Incidence | Frequency | Percent of Parent | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smith | 7,092 | 1:43 | 1.95% | 1 |
| 2 | Brown | 2,648 | 1:116 | 1.73% | 4 |
| 3 | Clarke | 2,369 | 1:130 | 4.11% | 31 |
| 4 | Taylor | 2,250 | 1:136 | 1.33% | 2 |
| 5 | Johnson | 2,235 | 1:137 | 2.29% | 7 |
| 6 | Ward | 2,079 | 1:148 | 3.32% | 25 |
| 7 | Wright | 1,998 | 1:154 | 2.30% | 9 |
| 8 | Moore | 1,735 | 1:177 | 3.14% | 32 |
| 9 | Green | 1,495 | 1:205 | 1.86% | 15 |
| 10 | Hill | 1,493 | 1:206 | 2.16% | 19 |
| 11 | Cooper | 1,472 | 1:209 | 2.15% | 20 |
| 12 | Allen | 1,420 | 1:216 | 2.63% | 33 |
| 13 | Hall | 1,287 | 1:238 | 1.56% | 13 |
| 14 | Wood | 1,222 | 1:251 | 1.41% | 10 |
| 15 | Harris | 1,193 | 1:257 | 1.79% | 21 |
| 16 | King | 1,177 | 1:261 | 2.00% | 29 |
| 17 | Walker | 1,168 | 1:263 | 1.42% | 14 |
| 18 | Bailey | 1,128 | 1:272 | 2.56% | 48 |
| 19 | White | 1,094 | 1:281 | 1.29% | 11 |
| 20 | Robinson | 1,084 | 1:283 | 1.16% | 8 |
| 21 | Martin | 1,079 | 1:284 | 1.80% | 27 |
| 22 | Palmer | 1,044 | 1:294 | 3.12% | 73 |
| 23 | Jones | 1,027 | 1:299 | 0.63% | 3 |
| 24 | Harrison | 1,008 | 1:305 | 1.58% | 23 |
| 25 | Thompson | 992 | 1:309 | 1.18% | 12 |
| 25 | Hunt | 992 | 1:309 | 2.56% | 59 |
| 27 | Jackson | 957 | 1:321 | 1.22% | 16 |
| 28 | Cox | 941 | 1:326 | 2.16% | 49 |
| 29 | Mason | 914 | 1:336 | 2.49% | 65 |
| 30 | Bennett | 912 | 1:337 | 1.97% | 45 |
| 31 | Clark | 905 | 1:339 | 1.29% | 18 |
| 32 | Burton | 901 | 1:341 | 3.68% | 103 |
| 33 | Hubbard | 899 | 1:341 | 12.39% | 478 |
| 34 | Wilson | 882 | 1:348 | 0.89% | 6 |
| 35 | Weston | 880 | 1:349 | 7.49% | 301 |
| 36 | Knight | 866 | 1:354 | 2.46% | 69 |
| 37 | Ball | 824 | 1:373 | 3.42% | 105 |
| 38 | Gamble | 820 | 1:374 | 19.96% | 908 |
| 39 | Spencer | 804 | 1:382 | 3.02% | 93 |
| 39 | Wells | 804 | 1:382 | 3.34% | 106 |
| 41 | Chapman | 795 | 1:386 | 1.98% | 55 |
| 42 | Lee | 789 | 1:389 | 1.69% | 43 |
| 43 | Sharpe | 779 | 1:394 | 9.40% | 419 |
| 44 | Carter | 770 | 1:399 | 1.57% | 39 |
| 45 | Garner | 726 | 1:423 | 7.79% | 377 |
| 46 | Bates | 724 | 1:424 | 3.86% | 158 |
| 47 | Cook | 699 | 1:439 | 1.30% | 34 |
| 48 | Brooks | 697 | 1:440 | 2.49% | 87 |
| 49 | Gilbert | 685 | 1:448 | 4.32% | 192 |
| 50 | Baker | 668 | 1:460 | 1.06% | 24 |
| 51 | Morris | 664 | 1:462 | 1.39% | 41 |
| 52 | Holmes | 657 | 1:467 | 1.88% | 71 |
| 53 | Marshall | 652 | 1:471 | 1.60% | 54 |
| 54 | Underwood | 650 | 1:472 | 8.27% | 438 |
| 55 | Webster | 630 | 1:487 | 2.93% | 123 |
| 56 | Shaw | 625 | 1:491 | 1.30% | 40 |
| 57 | Hardy | 624 | 1:492 | 3.59% | 175 |
| 58 | Warner | 618 | 1:497 | 5.76% | 322 |
| 59 | West | 615 | 1:499 | 2.28% | 91 |
| 60 | Simpson | 612 | 1:502 | 1.58% | 57 |
| 61 | Richardson | 610 | 1:503 | 1.31% | 44 |
| 62 | Adcock | 604 | 1:508 | 20.60% | 1,264 |
| 63 | Goodman | 599 | 1:512 | 7.09% | 413 |
| 64 | Glover | 598 | 1:513 | 4.93% | 279 |
| 65 | Orton | 597 | 1:514 | 21.40% | 1,318 |
| 66 | Roberts | 594 | 1:517 | 0.91% | 22 |
| 67 | Kirk | 571 | 1:538 | 5.44% | 329 |
| 68 | Cooke | 569 | 1:539 | 3.56% | 188 |
| 69 | Bird | 568 | 1:540 | 2.61% | 121 |
| 70 | Chamberlain | 565 | 1:543 | 7.13% | 435 |
| 71 | Elliott | 564 | 1:544 | 2.32% | 104 |
| 72 | Turner | 559 | 1:549 | 0.72% | 17 |
| 73 | Parker | 555 | 1:553 | 1.07% | 35 |
| 74 | Sutton | 553 | 1:555 | 2.96% | 159 |
| 75 | Barker | 545 | 1:563 | 1.42% | 60 |
| 75 | Grant | 545 | 1:563 | 3.85% | 218 |
| 75 | Hurst | 545 | 1:563 | 5.15% | 327 |
| 75 | Freer | 545 | 1:563 | 35.34% | 2,334 |
| 79 | Freeman | 541 | 1:567 | 2.93% | 162 |
| 80 | Fox | 538 | 1:571 | 2.06% | 96 |
| 81 | Brewin | 537 | 1:572 | 49.72% | 3,164 |
| 82 | Stevens | 533 | 1:576 | 1.77% | 79 |
| 83 | Herbert | 531 | 1:578 | 5.49% | 362 |
| 84 | Hallam | 530 | 1:579 | 9.52% | 657 |
| 85 | Burdett | 527 | 1:582 | 25.17% | 1,774 |
| 86 | Williams | 525 | 1:585 | 0.49% | 5 |
| 87 | Foster | 524 | 1:586 | 1.36% | 61 |
| 88 | Watts | 520 | 1:590 | 2.20% | 110 |
| 89 | Marriott | 512 | 1:600 | 7.72% | 521 |
| 90 | Ellis | 507 | 1:605 | 1.37% | 64 |
| 91 | Stevenson | 506 | 1:607 | 4.28% | 297 |
| 92 | Coleman | 497 | 1:618 | 3.50% | 217 |
| 93 | Deacon | 496 | 1:619 | 9.99% | 741 |
| 94 | Lowe | 488 | 1:629 | 2.30% | 124 |
| 95 | Kirby | 481 | 1:638 | 4.28% | 310 |
| 96 | Farmer | 477 | 1:643 | 5.67% | 415 |
| 97 | Davis | 476 | 1:645 | 0.77% | 26 |
| 97 | Richards | 476 | 1:645 | 1.53% | 77 |
| 99 | Adams | 474 | 1:648 | 1.25% | 63 |
| 100 | Neal | 469 | 1:654 | 5.33% | 393 |
| 101 | Williamson | 460 | 1:667 | 2.51% | 165 |
| 102 | Sharp | 458 | 1:670 | 2.23% | 134 |
| 103 | Needham | 452 | 1:679 | 7.25% | 556 |
| 103 | Wardle | 452 | 1:679 | 7.81% | 626 |
| 105 | Atkins | 448 | 1:685 | 4.12% | 319 |
| 106 | James | 445 | 1:690 | 1.16% | 62 |
| 107 | Dexter | 442 | 1:694 | 20.11% | 1,698 |
| 108 | Riley | 439 | 1:699 | 1.92% | 116 |
| 109 | Haywood | 438 | 1:701 | 7.03% | 558 |
| 110 | Gibson | 433 | 1:709 | 1.69% | 99 |
| 111 | Scott | 432 | 1:711 | 0.91% | 42 |
| 112 | Miller | 424 | 1:724 | 1.17% | 66 |
| 113 | Geary | 423 | 1:726 | 18.99% | 1,672 |
| 114 | Lord | 422 | 1:727 | 3.10% | 231 |
| 115 | Hart | 420 | 1:731 | 1.83% | 115 |
| 116 | Townsend | 419 | 1:733 | 3.40% | 274 |
| 117 | Gee | 418 | 1:734 | 5.53% | 458 |
| 118 | Fisher | 415 | 1:740 | 1.34% | 78 |
| 118 | Smart | 415 | 1:740 | 4.05% | 338 |
| 120 | Watson | 414 | 1:741 | 0.81% | 37 |
| 120 | Newton | 414 | 1:741 | 1.88% | 120 |
| 122 | Bishop | 411 | 1:747 | 2.10% | 147 |
| 123 | Page | 409 | 1:750 | 1.79% | 117 |
| 124 | Bradshaw | 407 | 1:754 | 3.39% | 286 |
| 124 | Neale | 407 | 1:754 | 5.82% | 492 |
| 126 | Goddard | 405 | 1:758 | 3.42% | 296 |
| 127 | Edwards | 404 | 1:760 | 0.70% | 30 |
| 128 | Jordan | 394 | 1:779 | 3.15% | 262 |
| 129 | North | 390 | 1:787 | 3.98% | 356 |
| 130 | Marlow | 389 | 1:789 | 11.18% | 1,088 |
| 131 | Mills | 387 | 1:793 | 1.08% | 67 |
| 132 | Evans | 383 | 1:801 | 0.64% | 28 |
| 133 | Harding | 379 | 1:810 | 1.84% | 132 |
| 134 | Cross | 378 | 1:812 | 1.96% | 150 |
| 135 | Holland | 376 | 1:816 | 1.84% | 135 |
| 135 | Mee | 376 | 1:816 | 16.43% | 1,625 |
| 137 | Collins | 374 | 1:821 | 0.96% | 58 |
| 138 | Hudson | 373 | 1:823 | 1.56% | 107 |
| 138 | Toon | 373 | 1:823 | 33.39% | 3,088 |
| 140 | Thornton | 370 | 1:830 | 2.61% | 218 |
| 141 | Jarvis | 368 | 1:834 | 2.91% | 258 |
| 142 | Norman | 367 | 1:836 | 2.80% | 245 |
| 143 | Bray | 366 | 1:839 | 3.73% | 353 |
| 144 | Matthews | 365 | 1:841 | 1.54% | 108 |
| 144 | Cave | 365 | 1:841 | 8.57% | 871 |
| 146 | Russell | 361 | 1:850 | 1.39% | 95 |
| 147 | Timson | 358 | 1:857 | 38.21% | 3,577 |
| 148 | Warren | 356 | 1:862 | 1.85% | 152 |
| 148 | Bott | 356 | 1:862 | 15.78% | 1,655 |
| 150 | Thorpe | 351 | 1:874 | 2.99% | 302 |
| 151 | Burrows | 350 | 1:877 | 2.74% | 255 |
| 152 | Hewitt | 346 | 1:887 | 2.50% | 225 |
| 153 | Read | 344 | 1:892 | 1.81% | 156 |
| 154 | Lewin | 343 | 1:895 | 14.94% | 1,613 |
| 155 | Tyler | 342 | 1:898 | 3.99% | 401 |
| 156 | Curtis | 341 | 1:900 | 2.08% | 182 |
| 157 | Hutchinson | 340 | 1:903 | 2.07% | 181 |
| 157 | Towers | 340 | 1:903 | 10.64% | 1,171 |
| 159 | Arnold | 339 | 1:905 | 2.22% | 200 |
| 160 | Rose | 336 | 1:914 | 1.68% | 142 |
| 160 | Newbold | 336 | 1:914 | 15.51% | 1,725 |
| 162 | Toone | 334 | 1:919 | 45.50% | 4,379 |
| 163 | Black | 332 | 1:925 | 4.86% | 509 |
| 164 | Bell | 331 | 1:927 | 0.77% | 51 |
| 165 | Barnes | 329 | 1:933 | 0.93% | 68 |
| 166 | Iliffe | 328 | 1:936 | 45.56% | 4,448 |
| 167 | Woodward | 327 | 1:939 | 2.27% | 213 |
| 168 | Bryan | 325 | 1:944 | 4.88% | 519 |
| 169 | Wilkinson | 319 | 1:962 | 0.71% | 46 |
| 169 | Gray | 319 | 1:962 | 1.18% | 92 |
| 171 | Sturgess | 316 | 1:971 | 18.56% | 2,139 |
| 172 | Chambers | 314 | 1:978 | 1.97% | 190 |
| 173 | Reynolds | 313 | 1:981 | 1.35% | 112 |
| 174 | Broughton | 311 | 1:987 | 5.62% | 662 |
| 174 | Hickling | 311 | 1:987 | 19.33% | 2,247 |
| 176 | Walton | 306 | 1:1,003 | 1.47% | 131 |
| 176 | Henson | 306 | 1:1,003 | 8.87% | 1,094 |
| 176 | Mawby | 306 | 1:1,003 | 35.66% | 3,845 |
| 179 | Lakin | 304 | 1:1,010 | 17.52% | 2,105 |
| 180 | Woodcock | 297 | 1:1,033 | 3.54% | 417 |
| 181 | Fletcher | 294 | 1:1,044 | 0.92% | 75 |
| 181 | Carr | 294 | 1:1,044 | 1.47% | 139 |
| 181 | Norton | 294 | 1:1,044 | 3.03% | 361 |
| 184 | Bent | 292 | 1:1,051 | 13.47% | 1,724 |
| 185 | Bentley | 291 | 1:1,055 | 2.31% | 260 |
| 186 | Clayton | 290 | 1:1,058 | 1.82% | 190 |
| 187 | Hull | 288 | 1:1,066 | 4.67% | 566 |
| 188 | Dakin | 287 | 1:1,070 | 13.50% | 1,756 |
| 188 | Storer | 287 | 1:1,070 | 15.82% | 2,027 |
| 190 | Harvey | 284 | 1:1,081 | 1.00% | 86 |
| 190 | Jacques | 284 | 1:1,081 | 11.31% | 1,458 |
| 192 | Griffin | 280 | 1:1,096 | 2.10% | 240 |
| 193 | Baxter | 275 | 1:1,116 | 2.05% | 238 |
| 194 | Holt | 274 | 1:1,120 | 1.38% | 145 |
| 195 | Yates | 272 | 1:1,128 | 1.35% | 136 |
| 195 | Marston | 272 | 1:1,128 | 10.11% | 1,360 |
| 197 | Musson | 271 | 1:1,133 | 18.42% | 2,418 |
| 198 | Middleton | 270 | 1:1,137 | 2.03% | 241 |
| 199 | Spence | 268 | 1:1,145 | 4.73% | 646 |
| 200 | Morley | 267 | 1:1,150 | 2.27% | 300 |
| 200 | Sharman | 267 | 1:1,150 | 6.56% | 921 |