Oadby

In 1904 the Public Library was opened.

The Oadby Library at 10 The Parade is a branch of the Leicester County Council Library System. It is open 5 days each week (verify by phone if you are visiting) and has staff trained in Family History research.

David HALLAM-JONES has a photograph of Oadby Library on The Parade on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.
 

• A cemetery of one acre was formed in 1866. It was extended by 3/4 of an acre in 1910. The cemetery was under the control of the parish council's Burial Board.
   
• Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Cemetery on Geo-graph, taken in February, 2014.
   
• Andrew TATLOW also has a photograph of the Cemetery on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2006.
   

• The parish was in the Blaby sub-district of the Blaby Registration District.
   
• The 1851 Census for Leicestershire has been indexed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society. The whole index is available on microfiche. The society has also published it in print.
   
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
   

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter.
   
• The origin of the church is uncertain.
   
• The church was extensively repaired in 1853.
   
• The church was extensively repaired in 1877-78.
   
• The church seats 368.
   
• David HALLAM-JONES has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.
   
• Tim GLOVER also has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2016.
   

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1651.
   
• The church is in the rural deanery of Gartree (second portion).
   
• A Baptist chapel was founded here in 1825 and rebuilt in 1898.
   
• David HALLAM-JONES has a photograph of the Baptist chapel on Leicester Road on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.
   
• The United Methodists had a chapel here by 1912.
   

• Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
   
• The parish was in the Blaby sub-district of the Blaby Registration District.
   

Oadby is a large village, a township and a civil parish. The parish covers 1,560 acres. The village has become something of a "University town" with lots of dormitories and student-friendly establishments.

The village and parish are currently part of the conurbation known as Leicester city. The parish sits to the south-east of the city centre on the Leicester to Market Harborough road. If you are planning a visit:

• By automobile, take the A6 motorway southeast out of Leicester about three miles.
   
• Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Village Sign on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2007. Please don't tell the locals that I think it looks like a giant pair of salad tongs!
   

• Geograph
• Flickr

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Oadby to another place.

• There was an Anglian settlement here in the year 550. In 1760, the Anglian burial ground was discovered on Brock's Hill.
   
• The Oadby area is reputedly one of the areas where King Alfred the Great won one of his battles against the Danes.
   
• The town is most famous for the Leicester Racecourse, built in 1883, which sits on the border between Oadby and Leicester city.
   
• The University of Leicester also has Beauchamp College in this parish, as well as its Botanic Garden.
   
• In January, 1817, some 400 people rioted here, setting haystacks ablaze. The Leicester Cavalry and a detachment of Dragoons were called out to put down the riot. Three people were imprisoned.
   
• In the late 19th century a number of substantial homes were built here to house workers for Leicester's shoe and stocking manufacturer's employees. Oadby was a good location as the Leicester tram lines halted at the edge of the village.
   
• In 1904 the Baths were opened.
   
• In 1909 a set of Framework Knitters Homes were built on Stoughton Road, where you can still see them.
   
• Expansion of Oadby took place rapidly in the twentieth century and was still continuing in 2007. Many residential developments have been constructed.
   
• Stop by the Wheel Inn and ask about their history.
   
• Or try the Fox Inn and ask about their history.
   
• Mat FASCIONE has a photograph of the Black Dog Inn and the Fox Inn on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2017.
   

• See our Maps page for additional resources.
   

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK625003 (Lat/Lon: 52.596909, -1.078719), Oadby which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

• The War Memorial is a white stone column with a cross at the top.
   
• David HALLAM-JONES has a photograph of the War Memorial at the junction of Wigston Road and the London Road, on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.
   
• There is more information at the Leicestershire War Memorial site.
   

• From the 1086 Domesday Book, Oadby's name is recorded as "Aldebi".
   
• The name has since appeared as "Oladebi, Outherby, Onderby" and "Oadby".
   

• This place was an ancient parish in Leicester county and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
   
• The parish is in the ancient Guthlaxton Hundred in the southern division of the county.
   
• The 1891 "Leicester Extension Act" added a part of Knighton parish to Oadby parish.
   
• In April, 1936, there were a series of changes to the parish boundaries involving surrounding parishes. Most of these changes enlarged the parish.
   
• Oadby is now part of the Leicester Urban Area.
   

• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Leicester petty session hearings.
   
• In 1879, William WILKINSON left the sum of £1,330, the interest of which provided dinners and other comforts for the aged men and women of the parish at Christmas time.
   
• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Blaby Poorlaw Union.
   
• In 1908, the Honorable Society of Framework Knitters built 20 almshouses with 40 acres of land.
   
• David HALLAM-JONES provides a photograph of the Stoughton Road almshouses on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2013.
   
• In 1927, the North Memorial Homes complex was opened in the parish. David HALLAM-JONES provides a photograph of the North Memorial Homes on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2013. The caption provides a lot more information on their use.
   

Year	Inhabitants
1801	624
1811	766
1821	856
1831	1,023
1841	1,085
1851	1,196
1861	1,254
1901	1,890
1911	2,609
1961	12,256
2001	22,729

• The Public Elementary School on Main Street was built in 1878 for 247 children.
   
• An Infants' School was built in 1911 for 200 children.
   
• David HALLAM-JONES has a photograph of the former Board School on London Road on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2013.