1861 Census of Sileby.

These records are a transcription of the enumerators' sheets for the 1861 census for the village of Sileby. The numbers shown in the address of the properties are not house numbers, but the schedule number for that property. Occasionally a property was sub-let, so two schedule numbers are occasionally seen for one property. In this case, the second household is shown in a black font.

I have tried to minimise any transcription errors by cross-referencing with the 1881 census and Leicestershire Directories of the period, but there are bound to be some irregularities due to human error on my part, the enumerator's or the householder who originally completed the schedules on which these sheets are based. Where I have come across an entry I couldn't be totally sure of, I've highlighted it in red. Please refer to the original census records if you have any queries about the accuracy of this transcription.

The 1861 census shows Sileby as it was in the days of our great grandfathers, before the hosiery and footwear industries came to the village. Agriculture and home-based framework knitting looms are by far the main sources of employment in the village.

The village was based on three of the same four streets that still form it's heart – High Street, King Street and Brook St/ The Banks, with Barrow Road being very similar to it's present size. The notable absentee is Swan Street, which had yet to be built, and there is no mention of any houses on Ratcliffe Road or Seagrave Road. Mountsorrell Lane was divided in the Census into Church Lane North and Church Lane South, and present-day Cossington Road was divided into Cossington End and several lodges on Cossington Lane.

The records cover 2 enumeration districts –

1. District 7, covered by Mr Joel Kirk, described as

"That part of the Parish called the Barrow road the North Church Lane including the Vicarage King Street including the two Lodges called Porters Lodge and Harrimans Lodge."

1.   District 8, covered by Mr. John Taylor, described as

"That part of the Parish called the South Church Lane High Street Brook Street including the Banks Cossington end the Lodges lying South and East including Porters Lodge."

The population of the village in 1861 was given as x,xxx.

I have divided the records into 7 pages to decrease download times –

1. 1. Barrow Road and Church Lane North.
2. 2. King Street, Quebeck House and Porters Lodge.
3. 3. Church Lane South and High Street.
4. 4. Cossington End.
5. 5. Brook Street and Back Lane.
6. 6. Banks.
7. 7. Cossington Lane Lodges, Brick Yard, Canner's Barn, Bell Isle and Talavery Lodge.