Lost in Kibworth ….. ten miles from Leicester ……..

Now I am not surprised that I have no idea where I am.

The picture postcard just says Leicester Road Kibworth, and despite wandering up and down the road today, I can’t get a fix on just where the picture was taken.

To be fair it comes from a series that Tuck and Son marketed in 1926 which gives plenty of scope for change.

But once I have located the row of houses, I have the census returns for 1901 through to 1921 and street directories lined up to help tell a story.

And Kibworth has come to fascinate me since I came across it a few days ago.

It was and still is a small village just 10 miles south of Leicester, with a population of 990, which has only doubled in a century.

Back in 1916 there were just 446 people with the usual list of tradesmen, and those linked to the land, but also a number who were engaged in the hosiery trade.  

To these can be added the 15 “posh people” who got their own listing in Kelly’s directory for 1916 including Col. Worthy Chaplain C.B., V.C., at Kibworth hall, and Major George Travers in the Old house.

It boasted three pubs and a beer seller and those hosiery frame knitters one of whom also ran the Admiral Nelson.

So, lots to find out and while the purists will point out it ain’t Leicester, its close enough to draw me in.

All I need to do is found out where I am. 

And that has been supplied by Ben who wrote, "Hi Andrew. My folks live just round the corner on Main St in Kibworth. This is the area around 63 Leicester Rd facing north towards the city of Leicester".

Location; somewhere in Kibworth

Picture; Leicester Road, 1926, from Tuck and Sons, courtesy of Tuck DB, https://tuckdbpostcards.org/, and Kelly’s Directory for Leicestershire, 1916