Client:
Date:May 13, 2011

My Leedham Antecedents

 

1881 – CENSUS – LYDIA HARRIET CURTIS

In the 1881 Census, recorded on the night of Sunday 3rd April 1881, we find the 17 year old Lydia Harriet Curtis living with his parents, JOHN SAMUEL CURTIS and MARY ANN LEEDHAM (my great-grandparents) at 15 Thornton Lane, Leicester in the Parish of St Martins.

1881 - Curtis - Thorton Lane

Lydia Harriet Curtis is recorded as a Shoe Fitter and is living with four sisters and two brothers, all of whom except the youngest two children, like their father, worked in the Shoe trade. Interestingly this record reveals our first non-Leicestershire born ancestors as the father, John Samuel Curtis was born in Norwich in Norfolk, his wife Mary Ann was born in London.

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
15 Thornton Lane John Samuel Curtis Head Married 53 Last & Model Maker Norwich
Mary Ann Curtis Wife Married 48 London
Matilda Elizabeth Curtis Daughter Unmarried 21 Shoe Machinist Norwich
Catherine Curtis Daughter Unmarried 20 Shoe Machinist Leicester
Elizabeth M.A. Curtis Daughter Unmarried 19 Shoe Fitter Leicester
Lydia Harriet Curtis Daughter Unmarried 17 Shoe Fitter Leicester
John Samuel Curtis Son Unmarried 14 Apprentice Last Maker Leicester
Mary Ann Curtis Daughter 13 Scholar Leicester
Joseph D. Curtis Son 9 Scholar Leicester

Now back another 10 years to the Census of 1871…..

1871 – CENSUS – LYDIA HARRIET CURTIS

As in 1881 the family are living in Thornton Lane but it appears they are in the house next to the one in which they lived in 1881 as the record states their residence as  No 13 Thornton Lane in the Parish of St Martins.

1871 - Curtis - Thornton Lane

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
13 Thornton Lane John Samuel Curtis Head Married 42 Last Maker Norwich
Mary Ann Curtis Wife Married 38 London
James Curtis Son Unmarried 13 Scholar Norwich
Matilda Elizabeth Curtis Daughter Unmarried 11 Scholar Norwich
Catherine Curtis Daughter Unmarried 10 Scholar Leicester
Elizabeth M.A. Curtis Daughter Unmarried 9 Scholar Leicester
Lydia Harriet Curtis Daughter Unmarried 7 Scholar Leicester
John Samuel Curtis Son Unmarried 5 Scholar Leicester
Mary Ann Curtis Daughter 3 Scholar Leicester

Two things to note from this record; a James Curtis, aged 13, is shown on this Census but is not with the family ten years later in 1881, possibly he is married by that time, also Joseph, who is nine years old in 1881 has not yet been born in 1871 and so is obviously not recorded.

THORNTON LANE, LEICESTER

Thornton Lane was part in the heart of Leicester of the ancient borough of St Nicholas. This Medieval Street, along with many others; Redcross Street, Applegate Street, Harvey Steet and St. Nicolas Street, were completely destroyed an underpass cut through the heart of the Roman town and is now mostly covered by the horrendously ugly Holiday Inn complex.

The photographs of the streets above are incredibly contemporary to the time that William Leedham and Lydia Curtis lived in the area, one of which shows the lane in which they lived. Undoubtedly William and Lydia would have seen these sites and walked these streets.

Click to enlarge the map and photographs. The numbers on the map show from where the photographs were taken. Thornton Lane is located between the numbers ‘1’ and ‘3’.

 

 

Before we joureny future back in time, I will provide what little information I have on Harry Leedham’s siblings and parents……

Next Page:  Harry’s Siblings