Bedfordians in London 1881

[castlebob]

Hello All,
I read recently that the 1881 census for London showed some 15,000 Beds-born folk living there. This is mirrored in my own family, where many headed south. I was also told that so many left Shillington for the Elephant & Castle that the London borough became known as 'Little Shillington'.
Cheers,
Bob

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks for that interesting snippet of information Bob. A quck search cofirms that there were more than 15,000 people in 1881 living in London whose birthplace was given as Beds. And that doesn't include Beds born people who were living in the outer suburbs of London in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey. 57 of whom claimed to be from Shil(t)lington, although most of these were north of the river

David

[Nick29]

My grandmother's family were all in the Luton straw-hat trade, and when business started to decline due to cheap imports from India in about 1870, they all migrated to Islington, North London.  I dare say that many other families did the same.

[Tracylincs]

Dear Nick29

My relatives were in the Straw Hat trade in Luton in the mid 1800's to its decline at the end of the century.  Do you have any Inwards in your family tree?

Regards

Tracylincs 

[Nick29]

I'm afraid I've not found any yet