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Ropsley

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Archives & Libraries

The Library at Grantham will prove useful in your research.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Colsterworth sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • In an 1890 district re-organisation, the parish was placed in the new "Grantham South" sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
Census
Year
Piece Numbers
1841H.O. 107 / 621
1861R.G. 9 / 2347
1871R.G. 10 / 3354
1911R.G. 14 / 19676
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter.
     
  • The church appears to date from Norman times. Some parts of the church appear also to be of Saxon origin. The building dates back to at least 1380.
     
  • There is a photograph of St. Peter's Church on the Wendy PARKINSON web site under her "Still more Lincolnshire churches".
     
  • Richard CROFT has a photograph of "St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2006.
     
  • Here is a photo of St. Peter's Church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
     
image
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1558 and includes Little Humby.
     
  • The Lincolnshire FHS has published several indexes (marriage and burial) for the Beltisloe Deanery to make your search easier.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here, erected in 1837. For information and assistance in researching these chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
     
  • Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Colsterworth sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • In an 1890 district re-organisation, the parish was placed in the new "Grantham South" sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
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Description & Travel

This large parish and village are about 6 miles east from Grantham. Somerby parish lies to the west. Little Humby is a hamlet in this parish. The parish covers about 3,060 acres.

If you are planning a visit, see:

  • This place is the source of the River Eden, which becomes the River East Glen a little further downstream.
     
  • On the outskirts of the village is a 12-hole golf coursees.
     
  • The Ropsley Rise picnic area is a wide open grassy place. The picnic area is an excellent place for children to kick a ball about, or have an evening barbecue. The adjacent woodland is not open to the public.
     
  • See our touring page for visitor services.
You can see pictures of Ropsley which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • In a field off Bridge End road, a Roman camp is said to have existed.
     
  • Ropsley is the birthplace of Richard FOX. the Tudor Bishop who funded the Grammar School at Grantham and Corpus Christi College at Oxford.
     
  • J. THOMAS has a photograph of the Ropsley Fox Pub on the west side of the village on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2012.
     
  • The web page author has been advised that the Ropsley Fox is closed, but their website is till active.
     
  • The Green Man Pub in Ropsley claims to be the only pub in the village.
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK993344 (Lat/Lon: 52.897882, -0.525273), Ropsley which are provided by:

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Military History

  • J. THOMAS has a photograph of the War Memorial in the heart of the village on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2012.
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Military Records

  • Michael PECK advises: Ropsley War Memorials have now been recorded, there are three. One is in the village centre and records both WW1 and WW2 names, one is inside the church and records WW1 names only and the third is a window in the church dedicated to an individual. There are no numbers, ranks or arms of service noted. (Please note the difference in the surname of the first name mentioned in WW1) Names recorded are:

Exterior - 1914 - 1918:

  • Thorpe Aikinson
  • Robert Waterfield Abbott
  • John Thomas Barber
  • Albert Bee
  • John Thomas Briggs
  • Robert William Brotherwell
  • Ernest Henry Chappel
  • Percival HE Chantry
  • Arthur Dean
  • John Doughty
  • Harry Dunmore
  • George Edward Freestone
  • John William Hames
  • George William Hare
  • Walter Hodson
  • James Kent
  • Francis T Watmough
  • Joseph Hind
  • Cyril Joseph Kitchen
  • Hugh Lloyd
  • Joseph Lloyd
  • Harry Morley
  • William Peatman
  • Albert Henry Tindale
  • Charles Henry Willows

1939 - 1945:

  1. Gerald Christopher Brewster
  2. Kenneth George Corton
  3. Joseph Leslie Crow
  4. William Philip Dales
  5. Wilfred Marlow
  6. Kenneth Smith (GC)

Interior:

  1. Thorpe Atkinson
  2. Robert Waterfield Abbott
  3. John Thomas Barber
  4. Albert Bee
  5. John Thomas Briggs
  6. Robert William Brothwell
  7. Ernest Henry Chappell
  8. Percival HE Chantry
  9. Arthur Dean
  10. John Doughty
  11. Harry Dunmore
  12. George Edward Freestone
  13. George William Hare
  14. Walter Hodson
  15. James Kent
  16. Cyril Joseph Kitchen
  17. Hugh Lloyd
  18. Joseph Lloyd
  19. Harry Morley
  20. William Peatman
  21. Albert Henry Tindale
  22. Charles Henry Willows.

Window:

A beloved younger son William Philip Dales of Little Humby who did not return from an operational flight over Ostend 5th November 1941. Aged 22. The window depicts a Sgt Pilot (Royal Air Force) and the face seems to be some sort of photographic reproduction of the actual face of Dales rather than the usual stylised stained glass face, possibly interesting if you are connected to this man.

You can find more information on each name listed above at the "Roll of Honour website for Ropsley.

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Lincoln county, and become a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish was in the ancient Winnebriggs and Threo Wapentake in the South Kesteven district in the parts of Kesteven.
     
  • In March, 1887, this parish gained a parcel of land from Somerby Civil Parish.
     
  • This Civil Parish was abolished in April, 1931, and all 3,061 acres were amalgamated into a new Civil Parish called "Ropsley and Humby Civil Parish".
     
  • You can contact the local Ropsley and Humby Parish Council regarding civic or political issues. They are NOT staffed to assist you with family history questions.
     
  • For today's district governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Spittlegate (Grantham) petty session hearings.
     
  • As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, the parish became part of the Grantham Poor Law Union.
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Population

YearInhabitants
1801402
1811440
1841673
1851777
1861845
1871766
1881647
1891597
1911510
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Probate Records

Ros DUNNING provides a transcript of the will of Dorcas BATEMAN of Little Humby.

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Schools

  • The first school was built here in 1717, endowed by James THOMPSON. This building was rebuilt around 1805.
     
  • A Public Elementary School was built here in 1874, then enlarged in 1894.
     
  • Each year around harvest time the school holds a harvest festival, the children march from the school to the church holding their offerings. The food that is collected is then raffled off.
     
  • For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.