The first directory was printed in the late 17th century. It was not until the late 18th century that they were printed in greater numbers. They continued to be printed up until the 1950s, when they were supplanted by the telephone directory.
Why were they printed? Trade in Britain was increasing and businessmen needed to know where there were people who would buy and sell their goods, as well as being an advert for themselves. Early directories were published for commercial reasons only, rather like `yellow pages' today. Hence they were usually called Trade Directories.
The introduction to each town or village gives a short history of the place, the churches, schools, libraries, population. number of families, market days, leading clergy and gentry, name of M.P., mayor, town clerk etc., roads, type of transport and times it was available. The postmaster's name was published and the times at which letters arrived and were dispatched. The area of the village or town was generally given, sometimes with its rateable value.
This was followed by a list of inhabitants, sometimes arranged in alphabetical order and sometimes according to profession or trade. Farmers were not listed in early directories although dates of cattle fairs sometimes were.
Many of the above factors would be considered by the man thinking of building a new factory, opening a new shop or widening his market.
Directories show how transport changed over the years, from coaches and carriers to railways, canals and buses. Turnpike roads made travelling and trade easier and more reliable. One effect was to increase the number of coach routes. These can be traced from early directories which list the destinations of the coaches and carriers, when and where they stopped and where they started out from (this was usually a public house). Similar details were given in later directories for canals and railways. The increasing number of motor vehicles on the roads is indicated in 20th century directories by the increasing number of garages listed.
Directories also show how occupations changed over the years. There are sometimes 20 or more directories for a given town or village between about 1860 and 1950. The number of people with a particular trade can be found in each directory and it is possible to trace how some trades died out and others took their place. In some towns some traders would be found in some streets, but not in others e.g. butchers who slaughtered animals on the premises were discouraged from having shops in the `better part of town'. Earlier directories had a greater variety of trades people e.g. butcher, grocer, shoemaker, wheelwright, carpenter, glazier, milliner etc. Sometimes trades people would have a full or half page advertisement in a special section at the end of the book.
Directories can be used to trace particular buildings, hospitals, schools, factories etc., when they were built, when a factory ceased production, when a school closed etc. Some of this information may not be found in any other source. They can also help trace particular families and their movements.
Directories show how towns expanded by the increasing number of roads e.g. the coming of the railway brought new street names such as Station Road and Railway View, and Stephenson Terrace in Preston. Some streets may have disappeared to make way for the railways.
Directories can sometimes be used to supplement information in Parish registers. The addresses may be listed by street in the directory whereas the Parish register may only list the area. Information can be cross referenced with rate books.
Why were they printed? Trade in Britain was increasing and businessmen needed to know where there were people who would buy and sell their goods, as well as being an advert for themselves. Early directories were published for commercial reasons only, rather like `yellow pages' today. Hence they were usually called Trade Directories.
The introduction to each town or village gives a short history of the place, the churches, schools, libraries, population. number of families, market days, leading clergy and gentry, name of M.P., mayor, town clerk etc., roads, type of transport and times it was available. The postmaster's name was published and the times at which letters arrived and were dispatched. The area of the village or town was generally given, sometimes with its rateable value.
This was followed by a list of inhabitants, sometimes arranged in alphabetical order and sometimes according to profession or trade. Farmers were not listed in early directories although dates of cattle fairs sometimes were.
Many of the above factors would be considered by the man thinking of building a new factory, opening a new shop or widening his market.
Directories show how transport changed over the years, from coaches and carriers to railways, canals and buses. Turnpike roads made travelling and trade easier and more reliable. One effect was to increase the number of coach routes. These can be traced from early directories which list the destinations of the coaches and carriers, when and where they stopped and where they started out from (this was usually a public house). Similar details were given in later directories for canals and railways. The increasing number of motor vehicles on the roads is indicated in 20th century directories by the increasing number of garages listed.
Directories also show how occupations changed over the years. There are sometimes 20 or more directories for a given town or village between about 1860 and 1950. The number of people with a particular trade can be found in each directory and it is possible to trace how some trades died out and others took their place. In some towns some traders would be found in some streets, but not in others e.g. butchers who slaughtered animals on the premises were discouraged from having shops in the `better part of town'. Earlier directories had a greater variety of trades people e.g. butcher, grocer, shoemaker, wheelwright, carpenter, glazier, milliner etc. Sometimes trades people would have a full or half page advertisement in a special section at the end of the book.
Directories can be used to trace particular buildings, hospitals, schools, factories etc., when they were built, when a factory ceased production, when a school closed etc. Some of this information may not be found in any other source. They can also help trace particular families and their movements.
Directories show how towns expanded by the increasing number of roads e.g. the coming of the railway brought new street names such as Station Road and Railway View, and Stephenson Terrace in Preston. Some streets may have disappeared to make way for the railways.
Directories can sometimes be used to supplement information in Parish registers. The addresses may be listed by street in the directory whereas the Parish register may only list the area. Information can be cross referenced with rate books.
Directory Formats
There is no standard format for the directories published as there were a plethora of publishers, with some of the most well known ones being firms such as: Kelly, Bulmer, Barrett, Slater, Pigot, Gore etc. The formats also varied over time reflecting innovations in design and the variety of purposes for which they were produced. The main types likely to be found are:
- Commercial directories: These are alphabetical listings of merchants and tradesmen produced primarily for the use of the trading community.
- Professional directories: These tend to list only the principal inhabitants of a town such as the gentry, wealthy tradesmen and professionals. They often include names and addresses, but not the occupations.
- General trade directories: Contain both a list of private residents arranged alphabetically and a classified trades section, where individuals and firms are recorded under occupational headings. Typically this is the type of directory produced by James Pigot.
- Specialist directories: Covering particular interest groups or sectors of the economy.
- Town directories: These covered a single town and its surroundings.
- National and provincial directories
Problems with Directories
As people had to pay to have their names included not all people with a particular profession or trade may be listed.
Directories were at least 6 months out of date by the time they were published.
Initials, rather than full Christian names were sometimes given.
Addresses were not given in most early directories as everyone in a village knew everyone else and where they lived.
Publishers did not always research the introductory information each time a new directory was published. If a mistake was made it was sometimes repeated in subsequent directories. The history of an area was often provided by clergy and gentlemen considered to be learned rather than the publisher checking out the facts for himself.
Directories were at least 6 months out of date by the time they were published.
Initials, rather than full Christian names were sometimes given.
Addresses were not given in most early directories as everyone in a village knew everyone else and where they lived.
Publishers did not always research the introductory information each time a new directory was published. If a mistake was made it was sometimes repeated in subsequent directories. The history of an area was often provided by clergy and gentlemen considered to be learned rather than the publisher checking out the facts for himself.
Where are Directories found?
- County Record Offices
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/archives-and-record-office/
- Public Libraries
- University and College Libraries
- The Guildhall Library in London which houses the largest collection of old directories.
- https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/guildhall-library/Pages/default.aspx
- University of Leicester – Special Collections Online – This collection contains 689 directories for every English and Welsh county for the 1850s, 1890s and 1910s
- http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4
- Ancestry.co.uk – has the University of Leicester’s collection at:
- UK, City and County Directories, 1766 - 1946.
- It also has other directories in addition to this.
- Google Books has a huge range of international, national and specialist directories at it's site
- https://books.google.com/
All the other major on line genealogy sites (Findmypast, the Genealogist etc.,) have their collections of directories, which are constantly changing, and too numerous to list. Their catalogues should be regularly checked for updates.
Printable Files
| handout_directories.pdf |
