Brighton census enumeration districts, 1861

The following list shows the three enumeration districts and 76 sub-districts into which Brighton was divided for the purposes of the 1861 census. It was transcribed initially to make it easier to locate particular streets when conducting searches through census data. However, it also provides a valuable record of all the place names in the town at that time. As the enumerators, one for each district, had to seek out every habitation (including ‘two cottages under the cliff’ and ‘cottage above the cemeteries’), the list is more comprehensive than commercial directories.

The records were handwritten and occasional words are indecipherable. Some sheets have also been torn over the years. A question mark has been inserted where interpretation has been impossible.

Use your browser’s search facility (Ctrl-F) to look for a specific name.

PALACE
1
Alderton’s Court, The Avenue, Bartholemews, Castle Square, Clarendon Mansion, East Street (with the Hotels, White Horse Stables and Harmer’s Court), Harmer’s Court, East Street, Junction Road West, Little East Street, Market Street east side 1-28 inclusive, Palace, Palace Place (Molesworth House to no 5), Pavilion Buildings including Carlisle House, Pool Valley, Steyne Lane, Steyne Place, Three Tuns Court, Town Hall, Wardens Buildings

2
Black Lion Street, Brighton Place, Brighton Place Cottages, King’s Road 1-30 with ? Mansion, Landers Buildings, Market Street west side 31-53, Meeting House Lane, Nile Street, Poplar Place (Meeting House Lane), Prince Albert Street, Smart or Mays Court, Union Street

3
Church Street south side to Wiliam IV inn, Clarence Hotel and yard with stables, Corporation Store Yard, Elm Tree Cottages, Keeper’s Lodge, King’s Road 31-38 inclusive, Little Ship Street Gardens, Model Dwelling House, New Road, New Ship Hotel , North Gate House, North Street 111-117, North Street 1-37, Old Ship Hotel, Parochial Offices, Pavilion Dome and stables, Pavilion Gate, Princes Place, Ship Street, Ship Street Court, Stable Yard, Volunteer Inn

4
Boyces Street, Child’s Yard, Duke Street, Duke’s Passage and Court, Hayllars Court, King’s Road 39-66 inclusive and all dwellings under the cliff from the fish market to the Battery, Leach’s Court, Lewis’s Buildings, Middle Street, South Street, Tugwell’s Court, Venner’s Cottage

5
Ashby’s Court, Bond Street, Bond Street Row/Cottages/Courts &c, Briggs Cottage, Gerrards Court, King Street east side 30-61, Mulberry Square, North Street 155-173, North Street 38-66 corner of West Street, Salmon Court, West Street east side 45-84, White Lion Inn (tap yard and stables), Willow Cottages

6
Church Street 5-36 inclusive, Jew Street, King Street west side 1-30, Model Dwelling House, Portland Street, Queen’s Road east side 115-135, Windsor Castle Inn, Windsor Street with Courts & Unicorn Yard and stables

7
Blucher Place, Bunkers Hill, Cranbourne Street, Downs Court, Farm Yard, Kent Street, Little Russell Street and Court, Milton Place, North Street Quadrant, Suters Gardens, Upper Russell Street, Wellington Place, West Street Court, West Street west side 1-41

8
Artillery Street, Bodle’s Court, Cannon Street with cottages &c on west side, Kent’s Court, King’s Road 67-86, Mays Buildings and Mews, Nelson’s Court and Row, Queen Street, Russell Street

9
Clarence Street and Mews, Grenville Place, Marlborough Street, Regent Court, Regent Hill, Regent Row, Russell Square 1-15, 53-38, Western Road north side from corner of Crown Street to North Street

10
Artillery Mews, Battery Yard, Cannon Place, Cannon Terrace, Clarence Cottages, Clarence Gardens, Clarence Square, Crown Street, King’s Road 87-105, Regency Colonade, Russell Square 14-52, St Margaret’s Place, Western Road 28-55, Western Road 28-55

16
Air Street, Buckingham Arms Inn, Church Hill Cottage, Church Hill House, Church Street from north corner of Queen’s Road to Prospect Cottage, Clifton Place, Clifton Terrace, Lion Gardens, Norman Villa, North Street on that side to 154, North Street corner of West Street to no 83, Powis Grove, Powis Road, Powis Square, Powis Villas, Queen’s Road 1-17, Queen’s Square, Saxon Villas, St Alban’s & Selby Villas, St Mary’s Hill, Victoria Road, Vine Place, Wykeham Terrace

17
Belvedere House, Belvedere Terrace, Montpelier Road east side 70-89, Montpelier Road west side 58-65, Montpelier Street, Montpelier Villas, Norfolk Terrace, Vicarage, Victoria Street

18
Annon? Lodge, Clifton Hill from Montpelier Crescent to Powis Grove both sides with villas and named houses therein, Clifton Road 1-12 and 58-62, Goldsmid Road 1-22, Grossmont Villa and Stables, Montpelier Crescent, Temple House and School, Vernon Terrace & Mr Whately’s House, Windlesham House and School

ST PETER’S
1
Belle Vue Hall, Black Rock, Church Place, Eastern Road north side from no1 to St Mary’s Hall including the College, Edward Street north side, Hervey Terrace, Manor Farm, Orphan Asylum, Pavilion Colonnade, St Mary’s Hall, houses and stables at the back of Sussex Square known as the back of Kemp Town, Sussex Square north side
2
Baker’s Bottom , Coes Farm and cottages at foot of Race Hill, Colebrook Row, German Spa, house on Race Hill Road, Park, Park Cottages, Park Road to Race Hill, Park Street, Race Stand, Sloane Street, houses and cottages on Sweet Patch Land, Upper Bedford Street from 01(?) to Colebrook Row

3
Egremont Street, Leicester Street, Pilgrim’s Cottages, Spa Street

4
Devonshire Street, Devonshire Terrace, Egremont Place, Mount Pleasant, Park Place

5
Chesterfield Court, Chesterfield Street, Derby Place, Grosvenor Street, Thomas Street

6
Boss’s Gardens, Cumberland Place, Dorset Buildings, George Street Gardens, Mighell Street, Riding School Lane

7
Ann Street, Henry Street, John Street, William Street

8
Grand Parade, Hanover Crescent, Hanover Place and Alms Houses, Richmond Place, Sussex Place, Union? Road Terrace, Waterloo Place

9
Carlton Street, Sussex Street

10
Carlton Row and Court, Circus Street, Grove Court and Yard, Nelson Place, Nelson Row, Woburn Place between Carlton Street and Sussex Street

11
Guildford Terrace, Nelson Street, Patriot Place, Richmond Hill, St Johns Place

12
Carlton Place, Lennox Street, Marine View, Windmill Street (otherwise Lennox Terrace)

13
Apollo Terrace, Chalk Farm, Claremont Place, Ivory Buildings, Ivory Place including Ivory Courts, Sussex Place and Row, Sussex Terrace, Woburn Place between Sussex Street and Richmond Street

14
Albion Hill, Richmond Street, Southover Street

15
Albion Cottages, Albion Street and Gardens, Richmond Buildings, Waterloo? Square

16
Ashton Street, Cambridge Street, Dinapore Street, Holland Street, Liverpool Street, Scotland Street

17
Belgrave Street, Jersey Street, Lewes Street, Newhaven Street

18
Albion Place, Coleman Street, Hanover Street, Hanover Terrace, Islingword Road (including North View), , Reformatory for Females, Southampton Street, Washington Street, Waterloo Street North

19
Cemeteries, Cobden Road, Elm Grove, Hampden Road, Howard Road, Lewes Road east side, Melbourne Street, Milton Road, Race Course Road north side, Reservoir, Scabe’s Castle, Shepherd’s Cottage (cottage above the cemeteries), Wellington Street, Wellington Terrace, Wellington Villas

20
Ditchling Terrace, houses known as back of Lewes Road, Park Crescent, Park Crescent Terrace, Ranelagh Terrace, Richmond Road, Round Hill, Round Hill Crescent, Row Hill, Row Hill East, Upper Lewes Road, Wakefield Road

21
London Road both sides, Montpellier Road East, Montpellier Road North as far as but not including the Montpellier Inn, Viaduct Terrace to the corner of Brunswick Place North

22
Baker Street, Chichester Street, Kingsbury Road, Marshalls Row, Rose Hill Terrace

23
Brunswick Court, Brunswick Row, Francis Street, Oxford Street and Court, Queens Place, Union Street North

24
Brunswick Place North, Gloucester Place and Hotel, Marlborough Place, St George’s Place, St Peter’s Place, York Place

25
Elder Row, Elder Street, New England Street

26
Boston Street, Cross Street North, London Street, New York Street, Peel Place, Peel Street

27
Ann Street, Cheapside, Elder Place, Providence Place, York Road

28
Belmont Place, Belmont Street, Cavendish Place North, Fleet Street, Queen Street, St Peter’s Street

29
Guildford Road, Trafalgar Street including Railway terminus, West Hill Road to Hodson’s Mill

30
Red Cross Street, St George’s Street, Trafalgar Court, White Cross Street, Wood Street

31
Blackman Street, Howard Place, Station Street, Terminus Road

32
Buckingham Street, Clifton Street, Railway Street, Terminus Place, Terminus Street

33
Clifton Road no 13, Compton Terrace, houses leading from Hudson’s Mill to Dyke Road , Evelyn Place from and including no 13 Clifton Road to All Saints’ Church, West Hill Place, West Hill Street

34
Bath Street, Buckingham Place, Chatham Place (not including the Shakespeare Inn), Cobden Place, Dyke Road between Clifton Road and Buckingham Place, Howard Terrace, that part of New England Farm within the boundary of the parish, Peel Terrace to Chichester Lodge

35
Cambden Terrace, Guildford Street, Queen’s Road, Surrey Street

36
Colonnade Hotel, cottages at the back (number’d in the Queen’s Road), Frederick Cottages, Frederick Place, Frederick Terrace, Over Street, Trafalgar Lane & Terrace (now all called Trafalgar Terrace)

37
Kemp Street, Kensington Place, Tidy Street

38
Gloucester Cottages, Gloucester Passage, Gloucester Street, Pelham Square and Terrace (now all Pelham Square), Sidney Street, Sidney Terrace, St George’s Mews, Tonbridge Cottages

39
Gloucester Lane, Upper Gloucester Lane, Upper North Lane

40
Frederick Gardens, Frederick Street, North Gardens, North Quadrant, Queen’s Road east side 95-112 inclusive, Queen’s Road west side 32-53 inclusive

41
Foundry Street, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Street, Queen’s Gardens, Upper Gardner Street

42
Blenheim Place, Cheltenham Place, North Lane Cottages, Robert Street, Steele’s Buildings, Vine Alley, Vine Street

43
Centurion Place, Centurion Road, Church Street north side, Lime Street, New Dorset Street including the Barracks (on the north side), Tooth’s Yard

44
Barrowcliffe’s Cottages, Church Street cottages at entrance to Hanover Chapel (known as 66 & 67 Church Street), Crown Gardens, Kew Street, Mount Zion Place, Queen’s Road east side 113-118 inclusive, Queen’s Road west side 18-31 inclusive, Spring Gardens

45
Bread Street, Orange Row, Pimlico, Pimm’s Gardens

46
Gardner Street, Jubilee Place, Jubilee Street, Preece’s Buildings, Regent Street

Brighton Workhouse
Sussex County Hospital

KEMP TOWN
1
Eastern Road as far as the Deaf & Dumb Asylum, Edward Street south side, Junction Road east of Brills Baths, Old Steine

2
Broad Street, Camelford Street, Charles Street, German Place, Manchester Street, Margaret Street, Old Steine Street

3
Attlingworth Street, Charlotte Street, Grafton Street, Lower Rock Gardens, New Steine, Rock Mews, Wentworth Street, Wyndham Street

4
Bedford Street, Bloomsbury Place, Bristol Tap, Burlington Street, Crescent Place, Eastern Street, Marine Square, Portland Place, back of Royal Crescent, Seymour Street, Union Street East

5
Arundel Terrace, Belgrave Place, Bush Inn, Chesham Place, Chichester Terrace, Clarence Mews, Clarendon Terrace, Eastern Road 91-93, Eaton Place, Hospital Road south side, Lewes Crescent, stables at the back of Lewes Crescent, Percival Terrace, St Mary’s Street, Sussex Mews, Sussex Square, stables at the back of Sussex Square (east), two houses under the cliff

6
Chain Pier Esplanade, Marine Parade

7
Bloomsbury Street, Chichester Place, Eastern Mews, Kemp Town Mews, Mill Place, Portland Street East, Rock Street, St George’s Road

8
College Gardens, College Place, College Road, College Street, Great College Street, Lower College Street, Montague Place, Montague Street, St George’s Terrace, Telegraph Street

9
Bedford Buildings, Crescent Cottages, Edwin Place, Manchester Row, Somerset Street, Upper Bedford Street (south of Eastern Road)

10
Essex Buildings, Essex Place, Essex Street, Laurel Row, Suggers Court, Warwick Street

11
Hereford Street, Lavender Street, Mount Street, Paradise Street

12
Devonshire Place, Little St James’s Street, Lodge Buildings, Paradise Cottages, Rock Street, St Mary’s Place, Upper Rock Gardens

13
Cavendish Street, Chapel Street, Dorset Gardens, High Street

14
Dorset Street, George Street, Howells Alms Houses, Little George Street, Pavilion Parade, Pavilion Street and Mews, Prince’s Street, St James’s Court, St James’s Gardens, St James’s Place, Steine Gardens

15
Bristol Mews, Bristol Road, Bristol Terrace, Marine Terrace Mews, St James’s Street, Upper St James’s Street

Comments about this page

  • Looking at a census I came across Poplar Passage. No idea where this was, but I guess by looking at the list offered by David Fisher it is in the Meeting House Lane area. Many thanks David, I have printed the list for future reference.

    By Carol Marten (04/07/2010)
  • I have just found Wellington Place. My great great great Grandmother Mary Charlwood lived at No 1 in 1881. She was born in 1807 and married a Daniel Charlwood.

    By Henry Owen (28/02/2011)
  • I would like to obtain a street map of that period, 1861. Can anybody help as to where I can purchase one?

    By Vic Bath (22/11/2011)
  • Hi Vic, old maps are not that common, nor are they cheap to obtain. Most are also not drawn to very large scales and hence many smaller courts, passages, twittens and lanes are omitted from the plan. There are occasionally some that appear on ebay, but beware of those that are reproductions selling for around £20. If you want to know where specific places are, post a query on the message board – the advice is free and some of the researchers have access to old maps of the town. Regards, Andy.

    By Andy Grant (23/11/2011)
  • Speaking to a friend who, along with my family, lived in Mighell street some 60/65 years ago, we were talking about an alley that ran adjacent to Mighell street where there were tenaments called ‘Boss’s alley’ or ‘passage’. The friend and I haven’t talked for 35 years+ and only just found him.  This place was one of my first memories, walking down there with him. I also went to St John’s school for a while until we moved to Carden Ave, Hollingbury

    By Roger Davis (21/02/2012)
  • I was born in Marine Terrace Mews in 1925 and lived there until 1938. The stables underneath the flats there were mostly converted into garages. At the eastern end was a large glass roof under which, I suppose, coaches were once cleaned. My mother said the head coachman lived in number ten, our flat; but why this should be I cannot understand because obviously all the coaches belonged to different houses on the front. We had a large sitting room, kitchen and two other bedrooms, no bathroom of course: we washed in the sink. I caught diphtheria when I was seven and was sent to the hospital in Bear Road. I did not enjoy my stay! My mother cleaned St Anne’s church and my brother was an electrician working for Lelliot and Sons.

    By Maurice Packham (16/08/2012)
  • Just for Roger. I think you are talking about Boss’s Gardens. My great grandfather lived at No.9. I have a small map section of that area and, as you say, it was close to Mighell Street. To be more precise there was John Street, George Street Gardens, Riding School Lane, Boss’s Gardens, Dorset Buildings and finally, Mighell Street. A lot of properties in a small area. Filth and disease was high. I could understand why Maurice hated those times. The whole lot, except John Street and a bit of Mighell Street, is now under the American Express building, which I believe itself, at the time of writing, is due for demolition. Ironic.

    By Ivor Williams (18/07/2013)
  • Does anyone have any photos of Newhaven St in the 40’s? I remember there being parties for VJ day and VE day and it seemed endless bonfire nights in the Street with fires in the middle of the road. We lived at No 39 next to a Mrs Milrick and her family I remember an Ernie one of her sons, our name was Gillespie and I remember my dad and mum using The Flowing Stream pub and if they had an outing they would throw pennies out of the coach windows and us children would pick them up and go to Pikes fish and chip and buy a penny worth of scraps; it was only batter but it was wonderful. Happy days never to be forgotten.

    By Mary Smith (07/11/2013)
  • Hello, my dad Albert Richard Taylor, and his family lived at 9 Newhaven Street, Brighton, and would dearly love to know more about them. One of my sisters was born here to Olga Taylor. There was my gran Nellie/Nelly Taylor. I know he joined the army at 15 having lied to the recruiters.

    By Wendy Taylor (29/06/2017)
  • My ancestors were Robert and Jane Allen who lived at 33 John street in the 1800’s particularly 1829. Their son Robert was transported to Australia in 1830. If anyone has any information it would be greatly appreciated as I live in Australia. Thanks so much.

    By Donna (08/09/2021)
  • Does anyone know where I can find a listing of the residents of Grosvenor Street for 1861. I have been told that these pages are missing from the 1861 census and local directories don’t seem to list it. Grosvenor Street ran between Edward Street and Carlton Hill but was mostly demolished in the 1960s.
    I am particularly interested in the year 1858.

    By Tim Sargeant (17/03/2023)

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