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