Belgrave is an area,
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
,
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
and administrative division of the city of
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
, England. Belgrave is the location of and known for the
National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is a museum and educational resource covering the fields of space science and astronomy, along with a space research programme in partnership with the University of Leicester. It is located on the north side of the city ...
, Space Park Leicester, the
Golden Mile Golden Mile or The Golden Mile may refer to:
Geographical features
* Golden Mile (Belfast), Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (UK)
* Golden Mile (Blackpool), Blackpool, UK
* Golden Mile (Brentford), Brentford, UK
* Golden Mile (Leices ...
and
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
.
The old Belgrave Village, containing the Belgrave Conservation Area, including
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
,
St Peter's Church and The Talbot Inn is to the west of Loughborough Road and to the east of the
River Soar.
Geography
Belgrave is bounded by the wards and areas of the suburb of
Rushey Mead
Rushey Mead is an area, suburb, electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 15,962. It comprises the northern Leicester suburb of Rushey Mead in its entirety, as ...
and the village of
Birstall to the north,
Spinney Hills
Spinney Hills is an inner city area of Leicester, England. It is situated to the north of the core Highfields area, around Spinney Hill Park. To the north is Northfields, to the east North Evington, to the west is the railway line, and ...
,
North Evington
North Evington is an area, suburb, electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England.
North Evington is bordered by Belgrave to the west, Charnwood to the north, Evington and Humberstone & Hamilton to the east and ...
and
Northfields to the east on the other side of the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Nottingham and Sheffield in the Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands ...
,
St Matthew's and
Leicester City Centre
Leicester City Centre is Leicester's historical commercial, cultural and transport hub and is home to its central business district. Its inner core is roughly delineated by the A594, Leicester's inner ring road, although the various central c ...
to the south and
Beaumont Leys and Stocking Farm to the west. It is located just north of the centre of Leicester, in the eastern part of the city. The old village part of Belgrave is close to the
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
county border and the
Borough of Charnwood at the beginning of the
Leicester Urban Area in that direction which is located on the other side of Red Hill Circle. Belgrave therefore stretches from and adjoins the city centre and the county.
Etymology
The settlement was named in the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
as ''Merdegrave'' (from
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
''mearð'' 'marten' + ''grāf'' 'grove'). However, after the
Norman Conquest
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conque ...
the ''merde'', which means ''excrement'' in French, was changed to ''bel''.
History
Belgrave was originally one of
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
’s ancient villages, the first mention of which, under its original Saxon name of Merdegrave (which in old English means Martins grove) appears in Domesday Book of 1086 where it is listed amongst the lands given to
Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil (1032 – 22 February 1098), (known in French as ''Hugues'' and Latinised as ''Hugo de Grentmesnil'', aliter ''Grentemesnil'', etc.), is one of the proven companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle ...
.
Grandmesnil had fought at the side of
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
at Hastings and was his chief cavalry commander. As a reward for his services he was granted several Manors / Lands of which this was one.
[''Domesday Book: A Complete Transliteration''. London: Penguin, 2003. p. 653 ] by the
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
. The land consisted of a mill, of meadow and land for six ploughs. For centuries afterwards Belgrave continued as a small agricultural village.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
Belgrave became one of
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
’s wealthier livings. In the thirteenth century its value rocketed. In 1217 it was valued at 16 marks, at 30 in 1254 and at 60 in 1291.
Belgrave was one of the communities in
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
that experienced the shock of military confrontation because of its situation on the busy
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
to
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
road which cut right through the heart of the village unlike neighbouring
Birstall and
Wanlip which it bypassed by some hundreds of yards.
When the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
burst violently into Belgrave, records indicate that there were a number of skirmishes between the opposing forces around the Thurcaston Road bridge and inside St Peter's Church. There is damage to the Tudor Memorial to Ambrose de Belgrave which suggests that it may have been used for target practice.
With large 19th Century terraced developments along the
A607 (Belgrave Road and Melton Road), this area now has a large, vibrant Asian community featuring the
"Golden Mile". The Asian community based in and around Belgrave and Melton Road have been residents since the early 1970s.
The
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
area is a
conservation area.
Belgrave is home to Belgrave Hall & Gardens.
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
, built between 1709 and 1713 is a Grade II* listed building in a plain classical style. The Hall is in the midst of two acres of serene walled gardens that are open to the public during special events. It has changed hands many times but the owners have always played a major role in the economic, social and charitable life of the community.
St Peter's Church is the oldest building in the local conservation area, parts of which date from the twelfth century. Archaeologists believe there may be an earlier Saxon church beneath the present structure.
The Talbot Inn has origins in the 14th Century, when it was a popular stop providing bed and board to those who travelled through
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
along Loughborough Road.
As can be seen by some of the houses along Loughborough Road there were some very wealthy residents, including the
Chief constable of
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
at one point.
As the wealth of the area grew so did the population and by the late 19th Century many more houses were being built.
As Belgrave grew so did the town of Leicester and at such a rate that by 1891 Belgrave was subsumed into the Corporation of Leicester.
The area continued to expand with some of the earlier 19th century houses being replaced by 1930s semis. By the 1960s and 1970s large parts of Belgrave were cleared of the old Victorian terraced houses including Mellor School, the Baptist Church on Loughborough Road and Claremont Street Methodist Church, and were replaced with more modern structures.
In 1975 the old area of the village was declared a
Conservation area and it is this area that represents the nucleus of the ancient village.
Business and commerce
Belgrave based
British United Shoe Machinery
British United Shoe Machinery (BUSM) Ltd. with head office in Belgrave, Leicester, England, was formed around the turn of the 20th century as a subsidiary of United Shoe Machinery Company of the US, becoming part of a group which for most of t ...
, formed around the turn of the 20th century as a subsidiary of
United Shoe Machinery Company of the United States, became part of a group which for most of the 20th century was the world's largest manufacturer of
footwear
Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serves the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from ground textures and temperature. Footwear in the manner of shoes therefore primarily serves th ...
machinery and materials, exporting shoe machinery to more than 50 countries. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was Leicester's biggest employer employing more than 4,500 locally and 9,500 worldwide. Most of the workforce was recruited via an
apprentice
Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...
scheme which trained a large proportion of Leicester's
engineers
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the ...
.
[.] The company had "a respected reputation for technical innovation and excellence",
between 1898 and 1960, it developed and marketed nearly 800 new and improved shoe machines and
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A p ...
ed more than 9,000
invention
An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an i ...
s, at one time employing 5% of the UK's
patent agent
A patent attorney is an attorney who has the specialized qualifications necessary for representing clients in obtaining patents and acting in all matters and procedures relating to patent law and practice, such as filing patent applications and op ...
s.
Parker Plant in Belgrave opened in 1911 inside a single railway arch. The business relocated to an 18-acre site in 1926. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s they were employing over 1,400 people to meet demand. In 1969, 1978 and in 1994 the business won the prestigious
Queen's Award for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation, sustainable development or promoting opportunity (through social mobility). They are the highest ...
. In 2006 Universal Conveyors was acquired and in 2007 Phoenix Parker Holdings Ltd was formed. In 2014 Phoenix Transworld, Cartem & Universal Conveyors marketed under the Parker brand.
Bostik
Bostik is a manufacturer and distributor of adhesives and sealants for the construction, industrial and consumer markets. With annual sales of €2.1 billion, the company employs 6,000 people and has a presence in more than 40 countries. Bo ...
is in Belgrave as well as the
Fred Perry
Frederick John Perry (18 May 1909 – 2 February 1995) was a British tennis and table tennis player and former world No. 1 from England who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slam tournaments and two Pro Slams single titles, as well ...
clothing label having been in Belgrave.
Demographics
The area, since the 1970s, has had a large Asian population and is now predominately Asian.
According to the 2001 UK Census, 104
Pacific Island
Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...
born people were residing in Belgrave, with many more being of Pacific Islander descent. This is the largest number for any location in the UK.
As of the 2011 census
The population of Belgrave was 11,558 and is made up of approximately 51% females and 49% males.
The average age of people in Belgrave is 36, while the median age is lower at 34.
43.0% of people living in Belgrave were born in England. Other top answers for country of birth were 28.4% India, 5.6% Kenya, 3.2% Sri Lanka, 1.6% Africa not otherwise specified, 0.8% Pakistan, 0.6% Zimbabwe, 0.4% Somalia, 0.3% Bangladesh, 0.2% Scotland.
46.7% of people living in Belgrave speak English as their main language. The other top languages spoken are 35.8%
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
, 4.3%
Punjabi, 3.3%
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
, 1.3% Portuguese, 0.9% South Asian Language, 0.9% Polish, 0.9% Hindi, 0.9% Urdu, 0.6% Somali.
The religious make up of Belgrave is 54.6%
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, 14.3%
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, 14.1%
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, 6.4% No religion, 5.5%
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
, 0.3%
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
. 443 people did not state a religion. Four people identified as
Jedi knights.
48.1% of people are married, 4.0% cohabit with a member of the opposite sex, 0.5% live with a partner of the same sex, 28.9% are single and have never married or been in a registered same sex partnership, 7.5% are separated or divorced. There are 487 widowed people living in Belgrave.
The top occupations listed by people in Belgrave are Elementary at 20.6%, Process, plant and machine operatives at 18.7%, Elementary administration and service at 14.3%, Sales and customer service at 13.1%, Sales at 10.7%, Sales Assistants and Retail Cashiers at 9.8%, Administrative and secretarial at 9.6%, Caring, leisure and other service at 9.2% and Process Operatives at 8.5%.
Education
Schools in the area
Primary schools:
Belgrave St Peter's Church of England Primary,
Mellor Community Primary,
Catherine Infants and Catherine Juniors,
St Patrick's Catholic Primary,
Abbey Primary and Rushey Mead Primary.
Secondary schools:
Rushey Mead Academy
Rushey Mead Academy, previously known as Rushey Mead School, is a mixed secondary school located in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for students aged 11 to 16. It is part of The Mead Educational Trust which also includes Orchard Mead Academy. ...
, which is the best state-funded secondary school in Leicester and Leicestershire and
Soar Valley College
Soar Valley College is an 11-16 co-educational comprehensive secondary school in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. It was designated a Maths and Computing specialist college in September 2004.
As part of the Building Schools for the Fu ...
.
College:
Leicester College
Leicester College is a further education college in Leicester, England. It is one of the largest colleges in the UK, with more than 26,000 students, 1,600 staff, plus an annual budget of over £50million.
It has three main campuses in the city ...
- Abbey Park Campus.
Places of interest
*
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
- An 18th Century Hall owned at one point by the
MP and Businessman
John Ellis. It is known for its paranormal happenings and has been subject to world media attention. It was a museum but is now an events venue and is occasionally used for public events with the gardens opening periodically throughout the year.
*The Belgrave Conservation Area - Includes
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
,
St Peter's Church and The Talbot Inn.
*The
Golden Mile Golden Mile or The Golden Mile may refer to:
Geographical features
* Golden Mile (Belfast), Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (UK)
* Golden Mile (Blackpool), Blackpool, UK
* Golden Mile (Brentford), Brentford, UK
* Golden Mile (Leices ...
- Known for the many Indian shops along it, including gold jewellery, food and saree shops. This road is at the centre of annual Diwali celebrations in the city, having rows of lights that are switched on in front of tens of thousands of visitors each year.
*The
National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is a museum and educational resource covering the fields of space science and astronomy, along with a space research programme in partnership with the University of Leicester. It is located on the north side of the city ...
- museum and educational resource covering the fields of
space science and
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
, containing the United Kingdom's largest planetarium.
*Space Park Leicester - a pioneering £100 million research, innovation and teaching hub for space-related high-tech companies and researchers focussing primarily on research, development and applications of space.
*
Abbey Pumping Station
The Abbey Pumping Station is a museum of science and technology in Leicester, England, on Corporation Road, next to the National Space Centre. With four working steam-powered beam engines from its time as a sewage pumping station, it also houses ...
- a science and technology museum.
*
Abbey Park -
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
’s premier park in which the
River Soar runs through.
*The
Peepul Centre The Peepul Centre is an arts centre
An art centre or arts center is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as the ...
- a multi-use facility.
*Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre - a sports facility aside the
River Soar.
Scenery
The
River Soar runs along the west of Belgrave.
Gallery
File:Belgrave Hall Museum - geograph.org.uk - 70266.jpg, Belgrave Village with Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
in the background
File:Church of St Peter, Belgrave, Leicester (geograph 2837997).jpg, St Peter's Church, Belgrave
File:River Soar, Belgrave, Leicester - geograph.org.uk - 70260.jpg, The River Soar in Belgrave with the National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is a museum and educational resource covering the fields of space science and astronomy, along with a space research programme in partnership with the University of Leicester. It is located on the north side of the city ...
in the background
File:River Soar, Belgrave, Leicester - geograph.org.uk - 70275.jpg, The River Soar at Belgrave Lock
File:Agar Street, Belgrave, Leicester in 1976.jpg, The Cobbled
Cobblestone is a natural building material based on cobble-sized stones, and is used for pavement roads, streets, and buildings.
Setts, also called Belgian blocks, are often casually referred to as "cobbles", although a sett is distinct fr ...
Agar Street
Area
The
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
of
Rushey Mead
Rushey Mead is an area, suburb, electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 15,962. It comprises the northern Leicester suburb of Rushey Mead in its entirety, as ...
contains a part of Belgrave meaning that despite the actual geographical location that specific area may also be classed as being in
Rushey Mead
Rushey Mead is an area, suburb, electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 15,962. It comprises the northern Leicester suburb of Rushey Mead in its entirety, as ...
by virtue of the
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
mapping.
Transport
Major roads
Belgrave is located on, at the start of and at the south end of the
A607 and is also on the
A6 and the
A563.
Bus
service 4 and 21 serve Belgrave on the
A607 and Catherine Street respectively.
services 25 and 26 travel along Belgrave Gate with service 25 going through the Old Village and service 26 going by
Abbey Park and by the Old Village.
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a bus operator providing services in the East Midlands and West Midlands areas of England. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus.
Arriva Midlands North Operations
In September 1981 Midland Red North was formed with 230 bu ...
services 5, 5A and 6 all serve the
A607 whilst
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a bus operator providing services in the East Midlands and West Midlands areas of England. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus.
Arriva Midlands North Operations
In September 1981 Midland Red North was formed with 230 bu ...
service 127 serves Loughborough Road, travelling by the Old Village.
All bus services operate along or by the
Golden Mile Golden Mile or The Golden Mile may refer to:
Geographical features
* Golden Mile (Belfast), Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (UK)
* Golden Mile (Blackpool), Blackpool, UK
* Golden Mile (Brentford), Brentford, UK
* Golden Mile (Leices ...
from and into
Leicester City Centre
Leicester City Centre is Leicester's historical commercial, cultural and transport hub and is home to its central business district. Its inner core is roughly delineated by the A594, Leicester's inner ring road, although the various central c ...
.
The nearest bus stations, both in
Leicester City Centre
Leicester City Centre is Leicester's historical commercial, cultural and transport hub and is home to its central business district. Its inner core is roughly delineated by the A594, Leicester's inner ring road, although the various central c ...
are the Haymarket and St Margaret's.
Train
The nearest train station is
Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station (formerly Leicester Campbell Street and Leicester London Road) is a mainline railway station in the city of Leicester in Leicestershire, England. The station is managed by East Midlands Railway and owned by Network Rai ...
.
The
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Nottingham and Sheffield in the Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands ...
runs along at the east of Belgrave.
Leicester Belgrave Road railway station
Leicester Belgrave Road was the Great Northern Railway terminus in Leicester, England. It was the terminus of the GNR's branch line from the Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway at Marefield Junction.
Overview
The station ...
and
Belgrave and Birstall railway station
Belgrave and Birstall railway station was a railway station opened by the Great Central Railway in 1899. It served the villages of Belgrave and Birstall in Leicestershire. It closed in 1963.
In 1991 Leicester North railway station was opened ...
are both now closed.
Airport
The nearest airport is
East Midlands Airport
East Midlands Airport is an international airport in the East Midlands of England, close to Castle Donington in northwestern Leicestershire, between Loughborough (), Derby () and Nottingham (); Leicester is () to the south and Lincoln () ...
, in
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
and 19.2 miles away from Belgrave.
Politics
Belgrave is located within the
Leicester East
Leicester East is a United Kingdom constituencies, constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, UK Parliament since December 2019 by Claudia Webbe, who was ele ...
parliament constituency, a seat held by the
Labour Party consistently since 1987 albeit with a significantly reduced majority in the
2019 United Kingdom general election, though reflecting a widespread national trend for the
Labour Party in that particular election.
The Belgrave electoral ward is currently represented on
Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the city of Leicester, England. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently control ...
by
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
Councillors Padmini Chamund, Nita Solanki and Mahendra Mohanbhai Valand.
The
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
of
Rushey Mead
Rushey Mead is an area, suburb, electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 15,962. It comprises the northern Leicester suburb of Rushey Mead in its entirety, as ...
includes parts of Belgrave.
Former Councillors for Belgrave include Archibald Berridge and Ramnik Kavia, both of whom served as Lord Mayors of Leicester, Colin Hall, the city's
Lord Mayor from 2010 to 2011 and a resident of the area since 1968 and
Manjula Sood
Manjula Sood, MBE, is a British politician, community service participant and former educator. In 2008, Sood became the first Asian female Lord Mayor in the United Kingdom.
Early life
Sood immigrated to the United Kingdom in 1970. She became in ...
, Britain's first Asian woman
Lord Mayor.
Belgrave was represented within the
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Li ...
parliamentary constituency in the European Parliament.
Council election results
Belgrave 2019
Belgrave 2015
Sport
Belgrave Road Cycle and Cricket Ground in Belgrave was a sports ground which hosted early matches of Leicester Fosse, who re-formed as
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
and
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
. The ground was opened on 5 May 1880 by
Edwyn Sherard Burnaby
Edwyn Sherard Burnaby (22 May 1830 – 31 May 1883) was a major-general''Gentleman's Magazine'', September 1867, p. 398 and Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire North from 1880 until his death. He served in the C ...
, the
MP for Leicestershire North
as a 10-acre site with mile long running and cycling tracks, cricket and football pitches and hosted
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
first official game against
Moseley
Moseley is a suburb of south Birmingham, England, south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants. The area also has a number of boutiques and ot ...
on 23 October of that year. The Tigers moved from Belgrave in January 1881 before moving back for the 1882/83 season. Leicester Fosse, a forerunner of
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
played soccer at the ground for the 1887/88 season, their fourth, however only lasted one season before their outbidding for use of the ground by
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
.
In June 1881 it also hosted
Leicestershire County Cricket Club against an All England XI. It opened in 1880 and closed in 1901 when houses, shops and part of the
British United Shoe Machinery
British United Shoe Machinery (BUSM) Ltd. with head office in Belgrave, Leicester, England, was formed around the turn of the 20th century as a subsidiary of United Shoe Machinery Company of the US, becoming part of a group which for most of t ...
were built on the site.
Notable people
*
John Ellis -
MP for
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
, businessman, Chairman of
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
, noted liberal reformer and
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
and a former owner and resident, along with his family of
Belgrave Hall
Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.
History
It was built as a family home for Edmund and Ann Cradock in 1709 in the midst of of walled garden ...
.
*
Jennie Fletcher - British competitive swimmer, Olympic gold medallist and former world record holder - born in Belgrave.
*
Tony Sibson - Professional boxer and former European and Commonwealth middleweight champion - lived in and went to school in Belgrave.
*
David Weston - artist and author - born in Belgrave.
*
Tom Sidwell - cricketer - born in Belgrave.
*
George Walton
George Walton (c. 1749 – February 2, 1804), a Founding Father of the United States, signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Georgia and also served as the second chief executive of Georgia.
Early life
Wal ...
- cricketer - born and died in Belgrave.
Bibliography
*
References
External links
Visit Leicester - BelgraveCurve Theatre - Fashioning a City - BelgraveBelgrave's first saree shopfrom
BBC Radio Leicester
BBC Radio Leicester is the BBC's local radio station serving the counties of Leicestershire and Rutland.
It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at St Nicholas Place in Leicester.
According to RAJAR, the station ...
*
{{Authority control
Areas of Leicester