As the date of the 2021 census approaches, lets look at how Okehampton appeared in previous censuses. The FreeCEN website gives free access to 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1891 censuses of Okehampton (Okehampton is in the Lifton Census District in 1841). White's Devonshire Directory from 1850 can fill in some gaps. How would your life look to future historians, if they could only read a few lines every 10 years?

Three traces of past lives, 

 

 

Engraving c.1845 by Thomas Dugdale

Photo Chris Allen https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2422145 

 

Charity Frost, Innkeeper King's Arms

1841 Devon, Lifton, Okehampton, Fair Place
FROST, John,50, Publican
FROST, Charity, 45
FROST, Charity, 20
FROST, John, 15
FROST, Mary, 15
FROST, William, 6
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14544ff4040b9d6e480fd9

White's Devonshire Directory 1850
Page 22. INNS & TAVERNS. King's Arms, Charity Frost
http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/218254 

1851 Devon, Okehampton, Fair Place
FROST, Charity (Widow), 58, Innkeeper
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5e3e9bc6f4040b15508cdb5c

1861 Devon, Okehampton, Fair Place
FROST, Charity, 67, Victualler
FROST, William, 27, Corn Dealer
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a1481f2f4040b9d6e7afb11 

 

Rebecca Jordan, Straw Bonnet Maker

1841 Devon, Lifton, Okehampton, Fair Place
JORDEN, Dorothy, 70
JORDEN, Rebecca, 30, Straw Bonnet Mk
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14544ff4040b9d6e480fe5 

White's Devonshire Directory 1850
Page 22. STRAWHAT MAKR. Jordan Rebecca 
http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/218254 

1851 Devon, Okehampton Back Street
JORDAN, Dorothy, 82, Pauper
JORDAN, Rebecca, 40, Milliner
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5e3e9bc6f4040b15508cdb3e 

 

Richard Lillicrap, Carpenter

1841 Devon, Lifton, Okehampton, Easton Town
LILLICRAPP, Richard, 50, Carpenter
LILLICRAPP, Mary, 55
LILLICRAPP, John, 25, Clerk
LILLICRAPP, Lucy, 15
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14544bf4040b9d6e480859 

White's Devonshire Directory 1850
Page 22. ACADEMIES. Lillicrap Mary CARPENTERS Lillycrap Rd, Lillycrap Edw. 

http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/218254
1851 Devon, Okehampton, East Street
LILLICRAPP, Richard, 64, Master Carpenter
LILLICRAPP, John B, 36, Accountant
LILLICRAPP, Mary, 31, School Mistress
LILLICRAPP, Lucy Jane, 27, House Keeper
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5e3e9bc2f4040b15508cd645 

1861 Devon, Okehampton, Easton Town
LILLICRAP, Richard, 74, Carpenter
UNDERHILL, William, 28, Shoemaker
UNDERHILL, Lucy J., 35, Shoemakers Wife
UNDERHILL, Constance M. H., 2months, Okehampton
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a1481f1f4040b9d6e7af970 

 

General Information on Okehampton

GENUKI provides a virtual reference library of genealogical information of particular relevance to the UK and Ireland. It is a non-commercial service, maintained by a charitable trust and a group of volunteers.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/Okehampton 

 

Welcome to the Devon Heritage website where you will find information and articles about the people and places of this County, both past and
present.
http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Okehampton/IndexforOkehampton.htm  

 

British History Online has copies of the late 19th Century Ordnance Survey maps.

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/os-1-to-10560/devon/076/ne  

 

Census 2021 The census is a survey about all the households in England and Wales. The next census takes place on Sunday 21 March 2021. Everyone must complete the census and provide accurate information. It helps decide how services are funded in your area.

https://census.gov.uk/

 

A Vision of Britain Since 1801 the Census has created a uniquely detailed record of our changing communities. For data on your chosen town or village, search by place from our main home page. 

Okehampton https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/812 

 

Extract of the Okehampton entry from William White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/218254  

 

FreeCEN The aim of FreeCEN is to provide free internet searches of the 19th century UK census returns. The first UK census to include names and other details of UK residents took place in 1841. Since then, a census has been held every ten years.

The FreeCEN project was begun in July, 1999, with a pilot transcription for Devon, coordinated by Brian Randell. Since then, the project has moved on, outgrowing its original database and website: we are now based on this site and have plans to improve the database and the ways you can search it.

https://www.freecen.org.uk/ 

Coverage for Tavistock on FreeCEN is for the years 1841, 1861, and 1891

https://www.freecen.org.uk/freecen_coverage/DEV  

 

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