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LEICESTERSHIRE | 
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Contents |
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Leicestershire Towns & Parishes |
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Nearby places |
Description in 1877:
"Leicester, the capital of the county to which it gives its name, and one of the chief seats of the hosiery manufacture, is an ancient borough and well-built market town, which has been greatly improved by the formation of new streets, and the erection of elegant public edifices and handsome houses, during the present century in which its population has increased from 16,900 to about 110,000. It is pleasantly seated, nearly in the centre of the county, on gently rising ground, chiefly on the east side of the river Soar, in 52 degrees 38 min. north latitude, and in 1 degree 8 minutes west longitude. Its distance by turnpike is 97 miles N.N.W. of London, 22 miles S. of Nottingham, 15 miles N.N.W. of Market Harborough, and 22 miles S.S.E. of Derby; and by railway it is distant from Birmingham 48 miles; London 97.5, via Hitchin, and 102.75 via Rugby; Leeds, 103.5; Sheffield, 74.5; York, 117.25; Rugby, 20; Derby, 29.5; Nottingham, 27.5; and Manchester, 96. Its position. so nearly in the centre of England, has had much to do with its rapid increase. Midway between the north and south, east and west, it lies full in the main stream of traffic. By the Midland railway and its various branches Leicester is connected with all the great lines of railway now traversing the kingdom; and by means of the river Soar and the Union Canal it has water communication with the Trent and most parts of England. In addition to these facilities the town is approached on all sides by excellent turnpike-roads, and in its neighbourhood are many pleasant and some populous villages. Before the introduction of railway travelling upwards of fifty coaches passed through the town daily to London and all parts of the kingdom. Its weekly markets, on Saturday for corn, provisions, &c., and on Wednesday, for cattle and sheep are well supplied; as are also its numerous fairs. The improved arrangements, the fine new Cattle Market, and the increased facilities offered by the Railway Companies, have made the town a favourite meeting place for agriculturalists generally. Now that the Cattle Market has been removed to the suburbs it is to be hoped that the pleasure fairs will be similarily dealt with, as they greatly interfere with the course of business in the central part of the town, in which they are now held. Leicester is of great antiquity, and the See of a Bishop from about 680 to 874. It was long distinguished for the number of its churches and monastic institutions, for the fine spleandour of its formidable Baronial Castle, and the strength of its tower, walls, and other military works, of which there are still some interesting remains. The streets are generally wide, and the houses of the labouring classes are not crowded so closely together as in most other large manufacturing towns.
[White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of the Counties of Leicester and Rutland. 3rd Edition 1877]
Reference and Information Library
Bishop Street
LEICESTER
LE1 6AA
Telephone:- U.K. 0116 255 6699, Overseas +44 116 255 6699
The Local Studies Collection contains a variety of material on Leicestershire towns and villages. There is also general material on genealogy, the FamilySearch system (IGI for UK and Ireland on CD ROM) as well as parish records for the City and the 1871, 1881 and 1891 censuses for Leicester on microfiche / film.
Burial & Cremation Manager,
New Walk Centre,
Welford Place,
Leicester, LE1 6ZG
Telephone:- U.K. 0116 252 7382, Overseas +44 116 252 7382
E-Mail:cemeteries@leicester.gov.uk
Max Wade-Matthews has written a book about the (Grave Matters, Heart of Albion Press. 1992.) Part of his website is dedicated to the cemetery and includes a history, many photos.
The Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society has a section on cemeteries with general information, location of registers, photographs of Gilroes cemetery, a plan of Saffron Hill cemetery, and a brief history of the Welford Road Cemetery. They have also published details of Leicester burials between 1813 and 1881 in five volumes on microfiche.
Due to the rapid growth in the population of Leicester in the nineteenth century many new parishes were formed. Details of these new parishes and a number of more recent closures are listed on a separate page.
Max Wade-Matthews has written four booklets available from the publishers Heart of Albion Press about the inscribed monuments in Leicester's remaining medieval churches, All Saints', St. Margaret's, St. Mary de Castro, St. Martin's and St. Nicholas. He has an index of all the monuments (along with many photos) in St. Martin's, which became Leicester's cathedral in 1927.
The Society of Genealogists holds copies of records from many Leicester churches which can be studied at their library in London.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Family History Society have published an index of marriages for the Borough of Leicester from 1801 to 1837 in 4 microfiche volumes.
David Mann has transcribed the St. Margaret's Parish Church Marriages from 1837 - 1897. The index is published on his website. The full transcription is available from the Leicestershire and Rutland Family History Society on microfiche or CD ROM.
City of Leicester Register Office tells us How and Where do I get a copy certificate.
Copies of birth, death and marriage certificates can also be obtained from the General Register Office who have an online system for ordering.
There are several online guides to the city.
Leicester University has produced a City Guide in conjunction with Leicester Promotions.
De Montfort University has created a " Essential Guide to Leicester" (pdf file), "the friendly city with a fabulous nightlife" as it is written from a student point of view.
Leicester Chronicler is a website by Stephen Butt with a variety of historical information about Leicester and area.
Alan Godfrey Maps have reprinted four old detailed Ordnance Survey maps at a scale of 14" to the mile covering Leicester in the period from 1902 - 1911. Details of how to order these and the other 1,000 maps they publish are available on their website.
The Rossbret Workhouse site includes a page for the Leicester Union which includes details of officers and staff of the union in 1899.
| 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 |
17,005 23,453 31,035 40,639 50,806 60,584 68,052 95,220 |
[Last updated: 30-July-2009 - Louis R. Mills]