Directories for Trade, Pubs, Street

- For modern directories see Lost Friends

Do research Directories. As well as the thrill of finding your folk they might provide an address for checking a census. But please note not everyone is listed. There were various publishers of directories - the main were Pigot and Kelly. Pigot's tends to give some narrative on the "towns" themselves and also lists "important" people. Kelly's Post Office is mainly lists. Holden produced very extensive directories c1800

Note: A Trade directory means those in trade rather than in a trade. So for example your ancestor was a tailor but most probably worked for someone else so will not be listed. But you will not know until you look.

This is worth checking Directories in England and Wales | Learn | FamilySearch.org

On Line Directories

Many directories over the years are on line at Historical Directories - Leicester University http://www.historicaldirectories.org/ actually was at those words but the link goes to their site 10/2013 - beta so if fails check uni main site http://www2.le.ac.uk/library/find/rarebooksandarchives
2014 may become http://cdm16445.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p16445coll4

British Book Trade Index http://www.bbti.bham.ac.uk/ for Printers and trades like Pocket book makers

Exeter Working papers in Book History http://bookhistory.blogspot.com/2005/12/index.html#2

But do try a web search - several other directories especially are available especially for coverage of towns and villages such as Pigot's.

http://www.londonancestor.com/ have a 1794 directory

Information on Directories

I am only giving an overview here for more details of directories and their contents, with examples, see: http://www.british-genealogy.com/resources/books/directories/index.html

Also Genuki http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/LND/#Directories

The LMA leaflet I usually find using www.google.com - this is the link
[PDF] Information Leaflet No.23 The Directories of London and the Home ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
... private residents: (relatively few in trade directories) Holden 1799. ...
ask.lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk. � London Metropolitan Archives ...
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ 66C2074E-F7D7-4B3C-A77B-02F0082E8916/0/LH_LMA_directories.pdfSimilar pages

I have a few directories

- hence my interest
1793 Universal
1805 Holden Triennial which I think means they sent updates each year after you purchased one. Has a Business and Residential section - a very large listing
1819 London Post Office published by Critchett & Woods - only a list of 18,000 Merchants
1856 London Post Office published by Kelly's - a much larger listing with many sections
1902 Kelly's Northern Suburbs - north of the Thames but outside of Central London
1939 Hammersmith - lists houseowners - we are not shown but our landlady is.

Kelly's London Post Office

Kelly's Directory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia seems to say Kelly's PO started early but 1819 was not Kelly

was issued every year from 1845(??) (whenever Kelly bought the name)
These are on microfilms issued by Guildhall and in various places. I have used at NSW State Library - quite tedious spinning the film wheel and trying to guess when to stop - much easier on CD - some history of Kelly's etc here

Kelly's has many sections including a Commercial Directoy - everyone in a business - the Court - people who are well to do - reason not exactly clear but is not everyone. There are also list of Lawyers (usually with business and residence address) and Local churches. The Trade directory in Kelly's Post Office directories is a section which lists people in a certain business - it is simply the Commercial directory resorted by business type instead of just by name. What is funny is the Trade Directory for Publicans is by Pub Name - to find the publican by name you use the Commercial directory. Other than for pubs I do not normally look at the Trade section as a business (person) could be under one of several classification of trade/business. All the names appear to be in the Commercial section. If someone is a merchant than the annual PO directories may show them. But many people will not appear. A tailor or jeweller etc may well work for someone else and is not shown.

Photographers -

see ../PhotoDating/dating_photos.htm

Street directory -

Kelly's includes an index of streets and a list of houses in those streets BUT only those for people otherwise listed elsewhere in the book. I suppose if no one in a street qualifies the street may not be there. The detail usually gives intersecting streets and so can highlight how to find a street that has vanished from modern maps. See UK Maps for sites with Lost streets and historic map site.

Street Numbering -

My London upbringing has trained my brain to expect odd and even side numbering - most streets in Kelly's are shown in numerical sequence - I assume they had them on "cards" or paper and sorted them before compiling the index - after all the data is also shown in order by trade (meaning business) and by surname in main commercial list. Some streets (main thoroughfares) do have a North Side and South side or West and East separate lists which normally show the odd side and even side numbering. Sreet numbering started following a Law in 1765 - re-numbering of houses may have happened in mid century and looking at google it still seems to be an issue today with authorities saying special schemes should be followed - I like the USA system of using high numbers along streets - In Sydney we have Parramatta road which runs for miles but numbering starts again with every suburb change - very difficult to find place you want sometime.