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.
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…..
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.
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