The Irish in Leicester Trail.

On your way to work over the next few weeks, or on an evening stroll, look out for the symbol below. To celebrate St Patrick's Day key streets in Leicester will be adorned with QR coded posters telling the story of where the Irish lived when they came over from Ireland. Each poster will link through to this blog  and will tell the story of a different person each time; why they came to Leicester and where they lived. Many Irish lived in and around Highfields in those early days of the 50s but some ventured out along Melton Rd and others up to New Parks, Clarendon Park and Eyres Monsell. 

The posters will up on the streets by St. Patrick's Day, March 17.

You will need a QR reader on a Smart phone or tablet and you're set to go. 
Take a stroll around Leicester and see some of where the Irish in Leicester lived when they first came over.

                                                 The Irish in Leicester

  In and around Highfields: 
Bakewell St, Berners St, Brookhouse St, Dronfield St, East Park Rd, Evington Rd, Evington Valley Rd, Gopsall St, Gotham St, Haddon St, Hartington St, Hobart St, Kent St, Kimberley Rd, Laurel Rd, Lincoln St, Maidstone Rd, Medway St, Mere Rd, Myrtle St, Porter St (as was), Saxby St, Severn St, Shellard St, Sparkenhoe St,St. Peter's Rd, St. Saviour's Rd, St.Steven's St, Tichbourne St, Upper Conduit St (as was), Upper Tichbourne St, Vulcan Rd.

                                     …around Leicester Prison and New Walk:
                                            Lower Hastings St. Princess Rd, Tower St, Turner St, 

                                              …around Clarendon Park:
                                               St. Leonard's Rd, Cecila Rd, Victoria Park Rd.

                                                   …Fosse Rd North, Biddle Rd

                                            … Harrison Rd,Moira St, Bardolphe St.

                                                        …and Henray Avenue.

                               
                       Not to mention other areas and various places of work across the city.

If your family are not yet represented here on the blog and you would like to tell their story please do get in touch.

If you'd like to be involved contact us on 0116 276 9186 

or pop in to: The Emerald Centre, Gipsy Lane, Leicester. LE5 OTB

We're now also on Twitter: follow me on  @irishleicester or join The Irish in Leicester group on Facebook.

Click here to view a map of The Irish in Leicester. 

Bardolph St

Bardolphe St

Jim Stretton from Kerry came to Leicester on Sept 1, 1967 with his wife Catherine (McCarthy). They had previously been living in London but couldn’t afford to stay there. Jim worked in civil engineering. They had a house on 25 Bardolph St. and later moved to 53 Lainesborough Rd.

They had two children in London, James and Geraldine, born in Paddington. Two more children were born in Leicester: John at Bond St. hospital and Janet at the Royal Infirmary. The children went to St.Patrick’s and English Martyrs.

Catherine Stretton at 25 Bardolphe st

Jim remembers the Catholic Club on Highfield St, the JFK on Sparkenoe St., St. Patrick’s on Abbey St and St Peter’s Catholic Club on Hinckley Rd. He recalls that Jim Finnegan ran the Royal Oak in Belgrave Gate and that Melton Rd was a good shopping area. 

Jim Stretton: Tug of war anchorman

Jim was well known in Leicester as a powerful anchor man for the St. Patrick's Tug of war team.

Thanks to Colin Hyde for the modern day photos: East Midlands Oral History Archive

If you'd like to be involved contact us on 0116 276 9186 or pop in to:
The Emerald Centre, Gipsy Lane, Leicester. LE5 OTB

We're now also on Twitter: follow me on  @irishleicester

Click here to view a map of The Irish in Leicester.