The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
Census Records
1851
The 1851 census was held on Sunday 30th March 1851.
Below is a summary of the census records. However, if you wish to view individual details, please click on the link to see the details of the census records in two different formats.
In this census, there are no addresses at all, simply schedule numbers for Mitcheldever. I will attempt to cross reference to the 1841 census using the details given.
The population was approximately 1075, the predominant surnames being: Ball, Baverstock, Brazier, Cole, Collis, Cook, Fifield, Hill, Hobbs, Knight, Miles, Smith, Whatmore and White.
Most men were employed as agricultural labourers and some of those living at what we now know as Micheldever Station were employed at the Station. Most women who worked were domestic servants plus 2 laundresses, 1 charwoman and a midwife, Amy Ilsley.
Looking at the employment descriptions, it becomes clear that pages 46 - 50 refer to what is now Micheldever Station, as the majority are employed on the railway. Charles Wildey (sch 187) was a Railway Superintendent. Sch 195 is obviously what was described as the Western Road Hotel in the 1841 census, run by John Wolfe (no longer Robin Wolfe) who was also the Postmaster and a Coal Merchant. There was a policeman, James Berriman (sch 187), and also a blacksmith, John Moody (sch 189). The Post Office employed 2 postmen, Charles Reynolds (sch 174) and George Ford (sch 182) and a postboy, James Veall (Sch 195).
The schoolmaster and schoolmistress were Henry Marsh and his sister Ann from Twyford. (Micheldever Cottage)
The farmers were Charles Cundell with 780 acres (sch 38), Henry Pain (sch 3), William Pain with 1160 acres (sch 40 – Burrow Farm in 1841 census), Thomas Courtney with 800 acres (sch 64) (West Stratton in 1841), Edmund Robertson with 316 acres (sch 111), Richard Collis with 50 acres (sch 134),
Charles Ball, also a thatcher with 27 acres (sch 161) and Edward Studley with 18 acres (sch 172).
The Alms Houses, sch 197-199, had 34 residents still managed by John Day with his son John, also carpenters. (Southbrook House, at the end of Rook Lane)
Tradesmen included 3 carpenters, 3 gamekeepers, a sadler, 2 blacksmiths, a tailor, 4 boot and shoemakers, 2 basketmakers, 3 thatchers, a gardener, a woodman and some bricklayers. The butcher was still Thomas Gale aided by his nephew William (Barn Cottage), and the baker was David Collis (sch 87) who was a grocer in West Stratton in the 1841 census. The grocers were Charles Piper (sch 51), draper (in 1841, baker) cum grocer Cornelius Knight (sch 133). and still William Attwood. (Sch 115).
6 residents describe themselves as fundholders, another works for the Inland Revenue and one is a Chelsea Pensioner. There are also 3 bailiffs. There is a second police constable, presumably in Southbrook/Northbrook, named Thomas Eiles (sch 132), who had a sizeable family of 8 children.
The innkeeper was Sarah Hillary (Sch 130 – widow of Henry, innkeeper in 1841). She was living at the inn with 5 children and 1 servant.
The vicar was still Thomas Clark (sch 1), born in Ireland who maintained 3 servants and a governess. (The Vicarage was located in what is now known as The Old Bakehouse)
My thanks to Colin Filmer and Trish Patston for creating these census records and summaries.