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Blackfordby

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Description in 1871:
"BLACKFORDBY, a chapelry in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Seal parishes, Leicester; 2 miles NW of Ashby-de-la-Zouch r. station. Post Town, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Acres, 1,117. Real property, £3,064. Pop., 645. Houses, 129. The church was recently rebuilt. There are a Wesleyan chapel and a national school."
[John Marius WILSON's "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales", 1870-72]

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Archives & Libraries

Just over the border in Derbyshire is the Library at Swadlincote.

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Cemeteries

Cris SLOAN has a photograph of part of the churchyard on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2007.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Hartshorn subdistrict of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Registration District.
     
  • The 1851 census for Leicestershire has been indexed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. The whole index is available on microfiche. The society has also published it in print.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1861R.G. 9 / 2268
1871R.G. 10 / 3246
1891R.G. 12 / 2509
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Church History

  • The ecclesiastical parish was formed on 15 February, 1876, from Blackfordby chapelry and parts of Holy Trinity ecclesiastical parish of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and Woodville and Donisthorpe ecclesiastical parishes in Derbyshire. The ecclesiastical parish extended into Derbyshire.
     
  • The Anglican parish church for Blackfordby is dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch.
     
  • The church was rebuilt in 1858 to replace a structure that had existed since the 11th century.
     
  • A clock was added in 1920 to commemorate the 28 men who fell in World War I.
     
  • The church seats 300.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of St. Margaret Church on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2008.
     
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Church Records

  • The earliest Anglican parish register dates from Febr., 1653 to Febr., 1790.
     
  • The remaining Anglican parish register dates from 1854 for baptisms, 1813 for burials and 1876 for marriages
     .
  • The church is in the rural deanery of West Akeley.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here prior to 1912.
     
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Hartshorn subdistrict of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Registration District.
     
  • Civil Registration started in July, 1837.
     
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Description & Travel

Blackfordby is a Civil Parish with two villages; Blackfordby and Boothorpe. It lies on the border with Derbyshire, about 120 miles north of London, 2 miles north-west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The parish covers over 1,230 acres.

Boothorpe is a hamlet or village which is three-quarters of a mile south-west of Blackfordby church. If you are planning a visit:

  • By automobile, take the A50 west out of Leicester city to Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Blackfordby is just two miles beyond.
     
  • Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2008. You will note that the parish is part of the National Forest.

     

You can see pictures of Blackfordby which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • in the 1800s and early 1900s the parish made bricks, sanitary pipe and pottery.
     
  • The village had a station on the Midland railway in 1881.
     
  • "The Bitterman" has a photograph of the Black Lion Pub on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2010
     
  • These are the names associated with the Black Lion Inn in various directories:
     
Year Person
1849-- Not listed --
1863-- Not listed --
1881John COLE, shopkeeper
1908Albert MEE
1912Albert MEE
1925Charles Frederick HOBSON
  • "The Bitterman" has a photograph of the Bludbell Inn on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2010.
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Manors

  • Blackfordby Hall is mentioned in 19th and 20th century directories, but no description or past is given.
     
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK326176 (Lat/Lon: 52.755127, -1.518556), Blackfordby which are provided by:

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Military History

On: 27 October 2014, a new WW1 and WW2 memorial in the village of Blackfordby was unveiled near to the ancient village spring. The memorial is a stone obelisk with inscribed plaques on its base. Local school children each left a cross with a name from the war memorial. An exhibition based on wartime Blackfordby and its casualties was held in the Methodist Church (which itself contains a war memorial plaque and roll of honour).

Blackfordby’s Church of England church also has a war memorial clock in the tower.

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Politics & Government

  • For centuries, this place was a chapelry and a township in Ashby-de-la-Zouch parish.
     
  • Blackfordby became a modern Civil Parish in late 1866 during a drive to extend civil government to all people.
     
  • The parish was in the ancient West Goscote Hundred in the Loughborough (or Western) division of the county.
     
  • On 24 March, 1884, a detached part of Over and Nether Seal was transferred to this parish.
     
  • On 30 September, 1897, a portion of this parish was transferred to help create Woodville Civil Parish in Derbyshire.
     
  • On 1 April, 1936, this Civil Parish was abolished and 775 acres returned to Ashby-de-la Zouch Civil Parish and the remaining 464 acres went to Ashby Woulds Civil Parish.
     
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Ashby-de-la-Zouch petty session hearings.
     
  • Due to historical reasons, the poor of this parish participated in the charities available to the poor of Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, Blackfordby became part of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Poorlaw Union.
     
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Population

 YearInhabitants
1841478
1861645
1871731
18811,047
18911,040
1901588
1911517
1921525
1931705
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Schools

  • The parish built a Public Elementary School near the church in 1889 to hold up to 71 children and 46 infants.
     
  • St. Margaret's Church of England Primary School has its own website, and a short history of the school is posted.