A donkey taxi man, the manufacturer of an invalid couch and a famous estate agent are just some of the district's colourful Edwardian characters who can now be uncovered on the new online 1901 census list.

The historic records were compiled in March 1901 and form an important documentation of the 7,455 residents living in Ilkley at the time.

These are the first census results to be published online and others are set to follow, starting with the 1891 census.

The 1901 census sub-divides the area into three sections showing the population figures for Burley as 3,310, Menston 3,137 and Addingham 2,144.

The original forms which were filled in can be viewed on the site and have personal data, including a question on the person's state of mental health.

Answers to this varied from 'lunatic' and 'imbecile' to 'feeble minded'.

The online service will mean that tracing friends and relatives will become a lot easier but the site has proved so popular it has been difficult to access.

Prominent figures from Ilkley could be viewed on the site including renowned character Donkey Jackson, aka John Jackson, who appeared on many photographs of the time with his donkeys, which he would hire out to Ilkley Moor visitors.

The taxi entrepreneur lived in a thatched cottage on Skipton Road, though all that remains of his residence today is the steps leading up to it.

John Shuttleworth, who published and wrote the first Ilkley Gazette in May 1861, will be listed on the records.

Following his death in 1907 his sons continued to print the paper until 1920 when they sold it to William Walkers of Otley and rival papers the Ilkley Gazette and the Ilkley Guardian were merged to make what we know today as the Ilkley Gazette.

The founder of famous estate agents' Dacre, Son and Hartley Ltd, J W Dacre, lived in the town in 1901.

Thomas Robinson and his son Lister were famous in the area for their invention of the Ilkley Invalid Couch, which was intended to provide respite for the ill.

The couches were commonly found at the hydropathic spa at White Wells and became popular in 1900 when Edward VII used one during a short illness prior to his coronation.

The Ilkley Couch was first created and made at Robinson's residence in Prospect Place on Hangingstone Road, which is now known as Hangingstone, and later they established a factory on Cowpasture Road.

Popular Brook Street retailers of the 1900's included grocer Ellis Beanlands, photographer Jesse Bontoft and owner of the fruit and game shop W H Hampshire, whose faded sign is still visible on the street.

Other characters include James Nicholson, who was Ilkley's railway station master for 35 years, the Rev Thomas Stephenson, who founded the National Childrens Home charity for orphans, Charles Muff, who ran a large department store in Bradford, and Professor Modley, who was a local gymnast and entertainer.

Percy Dalton and his family owned the butchers shop on Church Street and his son, also called Percy Dalton, went on to invent his own breakfast cereal.

Then following his success he bought the Manor House Museum buildings, which he donated to the town of Ilkley in 1956.

Famous names nationally include the infant Queen Mother, Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien and Charlie Chaplin, who is listed as a 'music hall artiste'.

The census was conducted shortly after Edward VII took the throne and more than 32million people from England and Wales have been included on the site.

Searches can be done by name, place or address, and users pay 75p to look at a digital image of the original census return.

For 50p you can buy all the details of the people listed at an address and the money will be used to fund the digitising of other censuses.