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== '''Directories in England and Wales''' == | == '''Directories in England and Wales''' == | ||
''[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[England Directories|Directories]]'' | |||
The publication of directories, originally alphabetical lists of the names and addresses of tradesmen, was very much a consequence of the growth of permanent shopping and trading centres in the 18th century. Towns that had an overseas trade were the first to have them: London from 1734, Dublin from 1751 and other places from the 1760s and 1770s. The first directory covering a group of towns ('a national directory') appeared in 1781, the first for a whole county, including farmers and craftsmen, in 1784, and the first to include private residents in 1792. English directories rarely include more than the name of the head of the household; other family members are not mentioned. | The publication of directories, originally alphabetical lists of the names and addresses of tradesmen, was very much a consequence of the growth of permanent shopping and trading centres in the 18th century. Towns that had an overseas trade were the first to have them: London from 1734, Dublin from 1751 and other places from the 1760s and 1770s. The first directory covering a group of towns ('a national directory') appeared in 1781, the first for a whole county, including farmers and craftsmen, in 1784, and the first to include private residents in 1792. English directories rarely include more than the name of the head of the household; other family members are not mentioned. | ||
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Before the compilation of the national computerised indexes to census returns, directories were collected in order to help identify households in the returns. Directories may still be used to check the name of the occupant of a particular address, or to assess the completeness or otherwise of the census entries in a named street. | Before the compilation of the national computerised indexes to census returns, directories were collected in order to help identify households in the returns. Directories may still be used to check the name of the occupant of a particular address, or to assess the completeness or otherwise of the census entries in a named street. | ||
The descriptions of places in directories, as mentioned below, are usually much more detailed than those in any gazetteer. The directories of the larger towns and most later county directories usually contained folding maps of the areas covered. | The descriptions of places in directories, as mentioned below, are usually much more detailed than those in any gazetteer. The directories of the larger towns and most later county directories usually contained folding maps of the areas covered. | ||
=== '''London Directories''' === | === '''London Directories''' === | ||
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Kelly's coverage in the London suburbs was not good. Pigot's 1838 and Watkins's 1852-4 directories were better, but they were forced out of business by Kelly. Coverage improved when the two-part Kelly's ''Post Office London Suburban Directories'' for the northern and southern suburbs began to appear in 1860 (The 1923 edition is available in BYU's Harold B Lee Library on microform '''CS 43 .G46x LH18781''''''.'''). At the same time the wonderfully detailed ''Buff Books'' for the various London districts started to appear, greatly expanding their coverage in the 1890s. Coverage of private residents in provincial directories was probably always better than in London itself. | Kelly's coverage in the London suburbs was not good. Pigot's 1838 and Watkins's 1852-4 directories were better, but they were forced out of business by Kelly. Coverage improved when the two-part Kelly's ''Post Office London Suburban Directories'' for the northern and southern suburbs began to appear in 1860 (The 1923 edition is available in BYU's Harold B Lee Library on microform '''CS 43 .G46x LH18781''''''.'''). At the same time the wonderfully detailed ''Buff Books'' for the various London districts started to appear, greatly expanding their coverage in the 1890s. Coverage of private residents in provincial directories was probably always better than in London itself. | ||
Lists of privatest Office London Suburban Directories addresses first appear in the ''Universal British Directory ''(available online at BYU's Harold B Lee Library) for London in 1790, but are rarely found in provincial directories before the middle of the next century. The first London directory to consist entirely of private residents, Boyle's ''Court Guide'', came out in 1792. It survived until 1925 and with other similar guides provided extensive lists of residents by street, fuller than those in the ''Post Office Directory''. | Lists of privatest Office London Suburban Directories addresses first appear in the ''Universal British Directory ''(available online at BYU's Harold B Lee Library) for London in 1790, but are rarely found in provincial directories before the middle of the next century. The first London directory to consist entirely of private residents, Boyle's ''Court Guide'', came out in 1792. It survived until 1925 and with other similar guides provided extensive lists of residents by street, fuller than those in the ''Post Office Directory''. | ||
=== '''Official Directory''' === | === '''Official Directory''' === | ||
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To locate a volunteer who will search some directories for you free of charge, visit http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng and click on [County of your choice], then '''Genealogy''', then '''Look-up Exchange'''. | To locate a volunteer who will search some directories for you free of charge, visit http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng and click on [County of your choice], then '''Genealogy''', then '''Look-up Exchange'''. | ||
==== [http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/findbylocation.asp Free online historical directories for England ] ==== | ==== [http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/findbylocation.asp Free online historical directories for England ] ==== | ||
=== '''Current Directories''' === | === '''Current Directories''' === | ||