Client:
Date:May 13, 2011

My Leedham Antecedents

HARRY’S PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS – WILLAM S. LEEDHAM and his wife EMMA

I will commence by repeating Census records previously shown but now the focus will be on the William and Emma, Harry’s paternal Grandparents

1881 – CENSUS – WILLIAM S. & EMMA LEEDHAM

In the 1881 Census, recorded on the night of Sunday 3rd April 1881, we find the 37 year old WILLIAM LEEDHAM living with his wife EMMA LEEDHAM (my great-grandparents) at 1 Chester Street, Leicester in the Parish of St. Margarets with their five children.

1881 - Leedham - 1 Chester Street

This record is not very clear, however the details, as far as I can decipher, are below..

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
1 Chester Street WILLIAM LEEDHAM Head Married 37 Shoehand Leicester
EMMA LEEDHAM Wife Married 34 Machinist Shoes Leicester
William Leedham Son Single 15 Shoehand Leicester
John H Leedham Son Single 7 Scholar Leicester
Mary A Leedham Daughter Single 5 Scholar Leicester
Henry Leedham Son Single 3 Leicester
Thomas C Leedham Son Single Infant Leicester

 

1871 – CENSUS WILLIAM S. & EMMA LEEDHAM

Back in time another 10 years to the 1871 Census, recorded on the night of Sunday 2nd April 1871. There we find George Harry Leedham’s grandfather, WILLIAM S LEEDHAM, age 27 years old and living with his wife EMMA LEEDHAM and their 2 sons. The family are living at 7 Woodboy Street, Leicester. This street is in the in the Parish of St. Margarets. There are also two lodgers in the house.

1871 - Leedham - 7 Woodboy Street

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
7 Woodboy Street WILLIAM S LEEDHAM Head Married 27 Shoe finisher Leicestershire Leicester
EMMA LEEDHAM Wife Married 23 Machinist Leicestershire Leicester
William Leedham Son 5 Scholar Leicestershire Leicester
John H Leedham Son 2 months Leicestershire Leicester
Charlotte Coleman Lodger Widow 50 Workerwoman Leicestershire Leicester
James Coleman Lodger Unmarried 19 Shoe Riveter Leicestershire Leicester

 

THE MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM ‘S’ LEEDHAM and EMMA

There is a record of a marriage of a William Smith Leedham in Q4 (October – November – December) of 1865 to a EMMA COLEMAN of Leicester. This is very likely the record I seek as in the 1871 detailed above the occupants include two but I may send for the actual certificate or research the parish records for Leicester St Margaret in the Record office.

 

1861 – CENSUS – WILLIAM S. LEEDHAM

Back in time another 10 years to the 1861 Census, at this time William and Emma would not be married, therefore I will initially follow the records for William S Leedham, although I believe the ‘Smith’ element of this name may have been as a result of his marriage….

This Census, recorded on the night of Sunday 7th  April 1861, finds 17 year old William Leedham living at 9 Upper Brown Street, Leicester in the Parish of St. Marys with his 56 year old widowed mother, Mary  and his four siblings. Upper Brown Street now runs alongside the former Phoenix Theatre from Newarke Street to York Road.

His mother Mary is recorded as being born in Northamptonshire.

1861 - Leedham Upper Brown Street

 

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
9 Upper Brown Street Mary Leedham Head Widow 54 Shoe Binder Northamptonshire
Elizabeth Leedham Daughter Unmarried 28 Warehousehand Leicester
Thomas Leedham Son Unmarried 23 Engine Feeder Leicester
Alice J Leedham Daughter Unmarried 19 Warehousehand Leicester
WILLIAM LEEDHAM Son Unmarried 17 Shoe Maker Leicester
Jebez Leedham Son Unmarried 14 Painter Leicester
Frederick J Sharman Lodger Widower 26 Paper Hanger Leicester

 

LEICESTER RECORDS OFFICE: Get street map of Upper Brown Street c. 1861

 

1851 – CENSUS – WILLIAM ‘S’ LEEDHAM

Back in time another 10 years to the 1851 Census taken on the night of 30th March of that year. William Leedham is 7 years old and is living with his Widowed mother Mary and his seven siblings at 50 Duke Street in the parish of St, Marys. His mother Mary’s birthplace is recorded as ‘Fleur’, Northamptonshire. This is the actually the village fo Flore located 7 miles west of Northampton. There is also a tick against her name in the column which indicates a disability (Blind, Deaf or Dumb).

Two of his sister who are recorded in this 1851 Census are not recorded as living with the family ten years later in 1861; Mary Ann Leedham and Sarah Leedham, who in 1851 are 17 and 15 respectively, would be 27 and 25 in 1861 and possibly married by that time.

Duke Street, which is relatively close to Upper Brown Street, and is located across the Welford Road and lies between Marlborough Street and Regent Street.

1851 - Leedham Duke Street

 

Road /Street Name Relationship Marriage Status Age Occupation Where Born
Duke Street Mary Leedham Head Widow 45 Shoe Binder Northamptonshire Fleur*
Elizabeth Leedham Daughter Unmarried 18 Fancy Hosiery Lock Leicestershire Leicester
Mary Ann Leedham Daughter Unmarried 17 Fancy Hosiery Lock Leicestershire Leicester
Sarah Leedham Daughter Unmarried 15 Fancy Hosiery Lock Leicestershire Leicester
Thomas Leedham Son Unmarried 13 Winder Leicestershire Leicester
Emma Leedham Daughter Unmarried 11 Leicestershire Leicester
Jane Leedham Daughter Unmarried 9 Leicestershire Leicester
WILLIAM LEEDHAM Son Unmarried 7 Leicestershire Leicester
Jebez Leedham Son Unmarried 4 Leicestershire Leicester

 

Another update of the story so far – a summary of the family 

Click on the image to enlarge…

 

LEICESTER RECORDS OFFICE: Get street map of Duke Street c. 1851

William would not be recorded in the 1841 Census as he was not born until around 1844 so now I switch my attention to his wife Emma…

Next Page:  Harry’s Grandmother Emma Coleman