A census of the population of England and Wales has taken place every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941 when no census was taken during World War 2.
The census recorded the people living in a household at midnight on a Sunday evening, usually around March or April, although the exact date varied with each census.
Taken on the night of June 6th, the 1841 census recorded each person’s name (usually only one forename), age, sex, occupation (if any), and if born ‘in county’ or not.
In theory all ages under 15 were ‘accurate’ while those over 15 were rounded down to the nearest 5. Thus, for example, someone aged 24 would be recorded as aged 20.
The census was not organised on a county basis but by Registration Districts which often crossed county boundaries.
In 1841 (and subsequently) Ilkeston was in the Basford Registration District which included places on both sides of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border.
Registration Districts were divided into sub-districts which were further divided into Enumeration Districts, (ED), containing about 200 houses. An Enumerator was assigned to each enumeration district. In the 19th century these officials were always men, of certain standing in the community, and had to be able to read and add up figures.
In the week before the census was taken the enumerator left a form or Schedule with each household in his enumeration district. Each form had a unique number and was to list all the people who slept in the house at midnight on the night of the census date.
During the week after the census date the enumerator collected the schedules and then copied the information from them, in order, into a pre-printed book. Thus, in theory, he had a record of all people in his enumeration district in this book of usually upwards of 20 sheets…..each sheet of two sides is called a Folio. Several of these books would then be collected together, again in order, into one volume and this volume was called a census Piece and was given a specific reference number.
Each folio within the census piece was stamped with a number in the top right hand corner on its first side, and this number refers to both sides of that folio.
Each census was given a Class Code — a reference index — by the Public Record Office (PRO). The code for this year is HO 107.
It is followed by a Piece number, which for Ilkeston is 189.
(HO stands for Home Office, the Government Department responsible for the census).
Ilkeston was divided into seven enumeration districts and the returns for these were collected into three books, numbered 1 to 3.
These books are thus contained in Piece 189. However there are many other books included in Piece 189 and so it is important to know the book number of the place you want to investigate.
Thus, the relevant reference codes for Ilkeston are HO 107/189/1, HO 107/189/2, and HO 107/189/3.
The parish of Ilkeston was described as in the County of Derby, in the Hundred, Wapentake, Soke or Liberty of Morleston and Litchurch, and was divided into seven Enumeration Districts, numbered 3 to 9.
(Districts number 1 and 2 were across the border at Trowell and Cossall respectively.)
The Registrar for the Ilkeston district was George Blake Norman, surgeon of Dalby House in Anchor Row.
William Ashton was the Superintendent Registrar.
My version of the 1841 Ilkeston census can be found after this introduction. I have added a couple of extra columns of information which are based on further ‘evidence’ from subsequent censuses, birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial records, obituaries, wills, monumental inscriptions, newspaper items, etc.
I have included a version of the complete Ilkeston census but as some of you might find it difficult to navigate this I have also broken the census down into its relevant Enumeration Districts. (see below)
On the site there is also an alphabetical list of the people listed in this census with notes on many of them, compiled from the same sources.
Again I have included a full list which I have then also broken down into sections.
As few abbreviations as possible are used. The meaning of many of those that are included is self-evident.
D = born in Derbyshire. No = not born in Derbyshire. For. = born in foreign parts. (nr) = not recorded.
The Ilkeston Enumeration Districts
They are described in the census although I have added a few ‘modern’ names (in italics) and some punctuation.
There is a link to each district.
District 3 (HO 107/189/1).
All that part of the township of Ilkeston comprising Gallows Inn, Hallam Fields, Little Hallam, Boot Lane (Stanton Road), the south side of the Road from Boot Lane to the White Lion Inn (inclusive), the whole of Moore’s Bridge Lane (Derby Road), Peewit Wharf and Engine (about a quarter of a mile north of Straw’s Bridge).
The enumerator was George Small, nurseryman of East Street, who listed 595 persons.
Inhabited houses listed were 120 and three were uninhabited.
District 4 (HO 107/189/1).
All that part of the township of Ilkeston comprising Hunger Hill (the Kensington area), Nottingham road, Park Road, Sough Closes (Potter’s Lock area), Old Mill, Old Park, the north side of the road from the White Lion Inn to the Toll Gate (at White Lion Square), the East side of South Street and the Hall Croft.
The enumerator was Thomas Straw (stocking maker of Boot Lane?), who listed 829 persons.
Inhabited houses were 166, nine were uninhabited and three were being built.
District 5 (HO 107/189/2).
All that part of the township of Ilkeston comprising the West Side of South Street, Pimlico, the Lawn (off Pimlico), Market Place, Anchor Row, High Street, East Street, the upper part of Bath Street, as far as to the Royal Oak and including all the Club houses (Club Row).
The enumerator was Thomas Riley (lacemaker of Anchor Row?) who listed 817 persons.
Inhabited houses were 166, 17 were uninhabited and four were being built
District 6 (HO 107/189/2).
All that portion of the township of Ilkeston comprising the Royal oak or Glazier Lee’s Yard (west end of Albion Place), Bath Street from the Royal oak on the East Side, and from the Club Houses on the west, Mr. Cocker’s farm (Manor Road area), Rutland Wharf, the Ropery (Rope Walk), Sam’l Taylor’s, Burr Lane, Chapel Street and Wheatley Croft. (the east end of Albion Place).
The enumerator was William Riley, (butcher of Bath Street?), who listed 719 persons.
There were 156 inhabited houses and 16 uninhabited houses.
District 7 (HO 107/189/3).
All that part of the Township of Ilkeston comprising Work House Hill (lower Heanor Road), Bower Hill (part of Heanor Road), Grass Lane (Norman Street area), Rutland Cottage, the West Side of Middle Lane (Granby Street/Awsworth Road area), the South Side of the road from Ilkeston to Bennaly Bridge and including all between the said Road, the River Erewash and the Coal Road to Cossall Marsh.
The enumerator was John Taylor, (farmer of Little Hallam and Manor House Farm?), who listed 815 persons.
There were 177 inhabited houses, ten uninhabited houses and two houses being built.
There were also three men in a barge.
District 8 (HO 107/189/3).
All that part of the Township of Ilkeston including the East Side of Middle Lane, the North side of the road from Ilkeston to Bennaly Bridge, Duke Street, and all that part of Cotmanhay between the West End of Duke Street and the Road from Shipley to Bennaly Bridge.
The enumerator was John Barker, publican of Middle Lane, who listed 801 persons.
There were 161 inhabited houses, six uninhabited houses and one being built.
District 9 (HO 107/189/3).
All that part of Cotmanhay in the Parish of Ilkeston lying between the Turnpike Road from Ilkeston to Heanor on the west, the river Erewash on the East, Molt Well, and the end of the road from Ilkeston to Cotmanhay on the South and the Bridle Road from Hazzock Lane to Newmanleys Mill on the North.
The enumerator was John Shorthose, wheelwright of Cotmanhay, who listed 747 persons.
There were 133 inhabited houses and five uninhabited houses.
You could now go to the 1841 Ilkeston Census … complete.
