Directory Resources are both a research tool and a valuable insight into the lives of our ancestors and what governed their lives. The range of dates directories cover is much greater than the census, and although they are not as detailed, they are an invaluable tool.
Early Directories Pigot directories start around 1820 and cover the major professions, nobility, gentry, clergy, coach and carrier services, Taverns and Public houses of the areas. Entries include the name, trade and address. Slater directories tend to be larger than the Pigots and cover the 1850s in a similar manner.
Watkins Directories of London are more comprehensive and show residents street by street giving more detail such as occupations. Bulmer Directories have a larger history section than others, normally before the directory information. Kelly's directories often show residents. There are sections on each major town and surrounding villages, with a history of the area in a great deal of detail as you would find in a gazetteer. Information on the main trades, the chief land owners, the type of soil and even the coverage dates of parish registers can also appear.
Later Directories 1890 onwards In the later Kelly directories more detail is given on residents, these are sometimes put in a section called Court Directory. Finally the Post Office Directories in the 1900's gave fairly complete listings for the residents and tradespeople of an area.
"Directories were originally aimed at commercial travellers and usually contained general descriptions of a city, town or village and its communications (stagecoach and railway connections). An entry for a place then listed its churches, schools, inns, Justices of the Peace, other prominent residents, farmers, shopkeepers and other traders. Advertisements from tradesmen were often included."
- extract from Ancestral Trails by Mark Herber.
Directory Transcripts.
Online access to our Directory Records.
1786 America, New York Directory
1835-6 America, Directory of Newark
1867 America, Vermont Directory
Langley's San Francisco Directory May 1887
1924 Melbourne Telephone Directory
1934 (May) Melbourne Telephone Directory
1934 Telephone Directory Brisbane
1936 (November) Melbourne Telephone Directory
Australia (South) 1882-3 The Commercial and Trades Directory
Australia, South Australian Directory, 1904
Australia, South Australian Directory, 1920
South Australian Directory 1910
South Australian Directory 1936
The Australasian Handbook, 1906
The Victorian Municipal Directory and Gazetteer, 1886
1885 Bedfordshire Kelly's Directory
1898 Kelly's Bedfordshire Directory
Kelly's 1898 Bedfordshire
Kelly's Bedfordshire Directory, 1903
1830 Berkshire Pigot's
1899 Berkshire Kelly's Directory
1907 Berkshire Kelly's Directory
1911 Berkshire Kelly's Directory
1915 Berkshire Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1931 Berkshire Directory
Kelly's Berkshire Directory, 1939
Kelly's Directory of Berkshire 1915
Kelly's Directory of Berkshire 1920
March 1939, Reading Telephone Directory
Post Office Telephone Directory for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, July 1907
Thom's Directory of Britain and Ireland 1913
1830 Buckinghamshire Pigot's
1883 Bucks, Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire
1907 Buckinghamshire Kelly's Directory
1911 Kelly's Buckinghamshire Directory
1915 Buckinghamshire Kelly's Directory
1935 Kelly's Buckinghamshire Directory
Kelly's 1864 Buckinghamshire Directory
Kelly's 1928 Buckinghamshire Directory
Kelly's Buckinghamshire Directory 1877
Kelly's Buckinghamshire Directory, 1939
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1915
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1920
Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1931
Pigots Directory of Buckinghamshire 1844
1538-1837 Cambridge BMD Directory
1851 Cambridgeshire Directory
1858 Cambridgeshire Kelly's Post Office Directory
1892 Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk Deacons Court Guide and County Blue Book
1908 Kellys Cambridgeshire Directory
1925 Cambridgeshire, Kelly's Directory
Cambridgeshire, Kellys Directory, 1916
Kelly's Directory of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk 1922
1899 Channel Isles Kelly's Directory
1911 Channel Isles Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1923 Channel Islands Directory
Kelly's 1939 Channel Islands Directory
1828 Cheshire Pigot's Directory
1876 Cassey's Directory of Chester
1914 Cheshire Kelly's Directory
Cheshire - History, Gazetter and Directory 1860
Kelly's Cheshire Directory, 1923
1896 Devon & Cornwall Deacon's Court Guide and County Blue Book
1828 Cumberland Pigot's Directory
1847 Cumberland Directory
1883 Bulmer's Cumberland (West), History and Directory
1884 Bulmer's Cumberland (East), History and Directory
1894 Cumberland Kelly's Directory
1901 Cumberland Bulmer's Directory
1925 Cumberland Kelly's Directory
c.1911 Bulmer's Furness and Cartmel - History, Topography and Directory
Kelly's 1929 Cumberland Directory
Kelly's Cumberland & Westmorland Directory 1897
Kelly's Cumberland and Westmorland Directory 1921
1809 Derbyshire Domesday Records
1828 Derbyshire Pigot's Directory
1839 Derbyshire, The History of Chesterfield
1850 Derbyshire Slater's Royal Directory
1857 Derbyshire White's Directory
1912 Derbyshire Kelly's Directory
1925 Derbyshire Kelly's Directory
1941 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Kelly's Directory
Buxton Guide and Directory, 1876
The History, Gazeteer and Directory of Derby, 1829
1765 History Of Exeter Directory
1896 Devon & Cornwall Deacon's Court Guide and County Blue Book
Billing's 1857 Devonshire Directory & Gazetteer
Devonshire 1830 Pigot's Directory
Kelly's Plymouth Directory, 1937
1865 Dorset, Harrod and Co's Postal Directory of Dorsetshire
1899 Dorset Kelly's Directory
1911 Dorset Kelly's Directory
1920 Kelly's Dorsetshire Directory
1923 Dorsetshire Directory Kelly's
1935 Dorsetshire Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1912 Directory of Dorset
March 1940, Bournemouth Telephone Directory
1894 Durham Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory of Durham 1921
Pigot's Durham 1834 Directory
White's Directory of Durham and Northumberland, 1828
White's Durham and Northumberland Directory 1827
1862 Essex Post Office Directory
1886 Essex Kelly's Directory
1898 Essex Kelly's Directory
1906 Essex Kelly's Directory
1929 Essex Kelly's Directory
1929 Kelly's Directory of Essex
Essex 1832-1833 Pigot's Directory
Kelly's Essex Post Office Directory 1878
September 1939, Chelmsford Telephone Directory
September 1939, Colchester Telephone Directory
September 1939, Southend Telephone Directory
1830 Gloucestershire Pigot's
1857 Harper's Cheltenham Directory
1870 Gloucestershire, Kelly's Directory
1906 Gloucestershire Kelly's Directory
1910-1911 Gloucester Smart's Directory
1911 Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Directory Annuaire
1919 Wright's Directory for Bristol
1928 Cheltenham Kelly's Directory
Bristol Guide and Directory 1793-1794
Kelly's 1925 Bristol Directory
Kelly's 1933 Bristol Directory
Wright & Co.'s Bristol 1895 Directory
1830 Hampshire Pigot's
1878 Whites Hampshire Directory
1899 Hampshire Kelly's Directory
1908 Alton and Alresford Directory
1913-1914 Southampton Kelly's Directory
Hampshire, Milford-on-Sea Guide and Directory, 1925
Kelly's 1912 Directory of Hampshire
March 1940, Portsmouth Telephone Directory
March 1940, Southampton, Salisbury and Winchester Telephone Directory
1835 Pigot's Herefordshire Directory
1850 Herefordshire Slater's Royal Directory
Kelly's 1900 Herefordshire Directory
Kelly's 1934 Herefordshire Directory
Littlebury's 1876-1877 Herefordshire Directory & Gazetteer
Pigot's 1844 Herefordshire Directory
1862 Hertfordshire Post Office Directory
1886 Hertfordshire Kelly's Directory
1898 Hertfordshire Kelly's Directory
1914 Hertfordshire Kelly's Directory
1929 Hertfordshire Kelly's Directory
History of Watford and Trade Directory 1884
Kelly's Hertfordshire Post Office Directory 1878
September 1939, Hertford, Bishop's Stortford and District Telephone Directory
1906 Huntingdonshire, Kelly's Directory
Huntingdonshire, Kelly's Directory 1894
Kelly's 1906 Post Office Directory
East India Register and Army List, 1844
East India Register and Army List, 1848
East India Register and Army List, 1851
East India Register and Directory, 1808
East India Register and Directory, 1819
East India Register and Directory, 1829
East India Register and Directory, 1832
East India Register and Directory, 1837
East India Register and Directory, 1838
East India Register and Directory, 1840
East India Register and Directory, 1841
Thom's Directory of Britain and Ireland 1913
Thom's Directory of Ireland 1934
Thom's Directory of Ireland 1941
March 1940, Isle of Wight Telephone Directory
1839 Kent Pigot's Directory
1862 Kent Post Office Directory
1931 Bromley Kelly's Directory
1938 Kelly's Directory Kent, Surrey, Sussex
1938 Kent, Surrey, Sussex Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1928 Bromley, Bickley, Chislehurst & Orpington Directory
Kelly's Kent 1895
Kent, Kelly's Directory 1895
1772 Manchester Directory
1773 Manchester Directory
1825 Lancashire Baines' Directory
1828 Lancashire Pigot's Directory
1853 Manchester Whellan Directory
1912 Lancashire And District Bulmer's Directory
1927-1928 Southport Seed's Directory
Barrett's 1937 Burnley Directory
Barrett's Burnley and District 1914 Directory
c.1911 Bulmer's Furness and Cartmel - History, Topography and Directory
Gore's Liverpool Directory 1816
Lancashire, Manchester Slaters Directory 1865
Liverpool, Gore's Directory, 1805
North East Lancashire with Bury and District, 1876
1835 Pigot's Leicestershire Directory
1850 Leicestershire Slater's Royal Directory
1876 Leicestershire & Rutland Post Office Directory
1890 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire Court Guide and County Blue Book
1896 Leicestershire Wright's Street Directory
1912 Leicestershire Kelly's Directory
1925 Leicestershire Kelly's Directory
1941 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Kelly's Directory
1850 Lincolnshire Slater's Royal Directory
Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919
Kelly's Lincolnshire Directory 1933
Kelly's Lincolnshire Directory, 1930
Kelly's Lincolnshire with the port of Hull and neighbourhood Directory 1885
Lincolnshire Directory 1826
Lincolnshire, Kelly's Directory, 1876
1677 Little London Directory
1733 London, Westminster, A Survey
1825 Pigot's London and Provincial Towns
1846 Kelly's Post Office Directory
1852 Watkins Alphabetical Directory
1852 Watkins Conveyancy, Parliament, City Directory
1852 Watkins Court, Trade Directory
1852 Watkins Street Directory
1859 Kelly's Post Office Court Directory
1859 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Banking Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office City Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Commercial Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Conveyancy Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Court Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Directory (introduction)
1869 Kelly's Post Office Law Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Official Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Parlimentary Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1869 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1880 Kelly's Post Office Court Directory
1880 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1905 Kelly's Post Office Court Directory
1905 Kelly's Post Office Court Directory (Suburbs)
1905 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1905 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory (Suburbs)
1908 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1908 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1908 London, Aldermen of the City of London Vol.I
1908 London, Aldermen of the City of London Vol.II
1910 Kelly's Post Office Law Directory
1910 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1910 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1912 London Kelly's Post Office Directory
1916 London Directory
1926 Kelly's London Post Office Street Directory
1926 Kelly's Post Office City Directory
1926 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1929 London, Kelly's Directory of Ilford
1930 Kelly's Post Office Commericial Directory
1930 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1930 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1936 Kelly's Post Office Commericial Directory
1936 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
1938 Webster's Royal Red Book
1939 Royal Blue Book
1940 Kelly's Post Office Commericial Directory
1940 Kelly's Post Office Street Directory
1940 Kelly's Post Office Trade Directory
Kearsley's London Register 1787
Kelly's 1856 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1869 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1907 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1925 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1925 Post Office Directory Volume 2
Kelly's 1927 Post Office Directory Volume 1
Kelly's 1927 Post Office Directory Volume 2
Kelly's 1928 Post Office Directory Volume 1
Kelly's 1928 Post Office Directory Volume 2
Kelly's 1929 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1929 Post Office Directory Volume 2
Kelly's 1931 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1932 Post Office Directory Volume 1
Kelly's 1932 Post Office Directory Volume 2
Kelly's 1933 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1934 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1935 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1936 Post Office Directory
Kelly's 1939 Post Office Directory
Kelly's Directory of Barnet 1919-1920
Kelly's Directory of Brixton and Clapham 1922
London 1837 Post Office Directory
London 1921 Post Office Directory
London, Kelly's Directory, 1856
Pigot and Co.'s London and Provincial New Commercial Directory, 1823-1824
Post Office London Directory 1826
Post Office London Directory, 1822
Post Office London Directory, 1824
Post Office London Directory, 1836
Robson's London Commercial Directory, 1828
Robson's London Directory 1819
Robson's London Directory, 1833
Robson's London Trades Directory, 1829
The Post Office London Directory, 1816
The Post Office London Directory, 1831
The Post Office London Directory, 1839
The Post-Office London Directory, 1837
1862 Middlesex Post Office Directory
1898 Middlesex Kelly's Directory
Middlesex, Enfield Kelly's Directory, 1937
1835 Pigot's Monmouthshire Directory
1850 Monmouthshire Slater's Royal Directory
1899-1900 UK Telephone Directory
1936 Directory of Directors
October 1939, Nottingham, Leicester and Derby, Classified Telephone Directory
Thom's British Directory 1873
Thom's Official Directory of the UK and Ireland 1859
Thom's Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1898
1858 Norfolk Kelly's Post Office Directory
1892 Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk Deacons Court Guide and County Blue Book
1929 Kelly's Directory of Norfolk
Kelly's 1937 Directory Of Norfolk
Kelly's Directory of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk 1922
Norfolk and Suffolk 1830 Pigot's Directory
Norfolk, Kellys Directory, 1916
1850 Northamptonshire Slater's Royal Directory
Kelly's Northamptonshire Directory, 1898
1890 Northumberland, Kelly's Directory
1894 Northumberland Kelly's Directory
1897 Northumberland, Kelly's Directory
1938 Northumberland, Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Northumberland Directory 1910
Kelly's Northumberland Directory 1921
Kelly's Northumberland Directory 1925
Kelly's Northumberland Directory 1929
Pigot's Northumberland 1834 Directory
Ward's Newcastle-on-Tyne Northumberland, Directory 1910
White's Directory of Durham and Northumberland, 1828
1809 Nottinghamshire Domesday Records
1828 Nottinghamshire Pigot's Directory
1850 Nottinghamshire Slater's Royal Directory
1912 Nottinghamshire Kelly's Directory
1925 Nottinghamshire Kelly's Directory
1941 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Kelly's Directory
1956 Nottinghamshire Kelly's Directory
Nottinghamshire Directory, Trade Town Midlands 1832
Kelly's Directory of Oxford 1920
1830 Oxfordshire Pigot's
1891 Oxfordshire Kelly's Directory
1907 Oxfordshire Kelly's Directory
1911 Kelly's Oxfordshire Directory
1915 Oxfordshire Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory of Banbury 1934
Kelly's Directory of Oxfordshire 1915
Kelly's Oxfordshire Directory 1877
Kelly's Oxfordshire Directory, 1939
1809 Rutland Domesday Records
1835 Pigot's Rutland Directory
1850 Rutland Slater's Royal Directory
1925 Rutland Kelly's Directory
1773-4 Edinburgh Directory
1783-1784 Glasgow Directory
1783-4 Glasgow Directory
1849-1850 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1851-2 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1857-8 Edinburgh Leith Directory
1861-62 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1874-1875 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1877-1878 Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory
1882-3 Greenock Post Office Directory
1892-1893 Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory
1893-4 Perth & Perthshire Directory
1913-1914 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1914-1915 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1915 Orkney & Shetland Directory
1923-1924 Aberdeen Post Office Directory
1925-1926 Glasgow Post Office Directory
1930 (Circa) The Official Guide to Edinburgh
1930-31 Edinburgh & Leith Post Office Directory
1948-49 Aberdeen Post Office Directory
Glasgow Post Office Directory 1831-1832
Post Office Glasgow Directory 1907-1908
1850 Shropshire Slater's Royal Directory
1875 Shropshire Cassey's Directory
1917 Shropshire Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1934 Shropshire Directory
Pigot's Directory of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire 1828-1829
Shrewsbury Kelly's Directory 1940
1897 Kelly's Somersetshire and Bristol Directory
Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1923
Post Office Directory of Bath, Somerset 1922
1835 Pigot's Staffordshire Directory
1850 Staffordshire Slater's Royal Directory
1888 Kelly's Directory Staffordshire
1901 Staffordshire Deacon's County Blue Book
Staffordshire Post Office Directory 1850
1855 History, Gazetteer and Directory of Suffolk
1858 Suffolk Kelly's Post Office Directory
1892 Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk Deacons Court Guide and County Blue Book
1912 Suffolk Kelly's Directory
1929 Kelly's Directory of Suffolk
1937 Suffolk Kelly's Trade Directory
Kelly's 1916 Suffolk Directory
Kelly's Directory of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk 1922
Kelly's Suffolk Directory, 1892
Norfolk and Suffolk 1830 Pigot's Directory
September 1939, Ipswich Telephone Directory
White's 1844 Directory
1839 Surrey Pigot's Directory
1899 Sutton and District Pile's Directory
1938 Kelly's Directory Kent, Surrey, Sussex
September 1939, Surrey, Dorking Local Telephone Directory
1839 Sussex Pigot's Directory
1911 Kelly's Sussex Directory
1922 Sussex Kelly's Directory
1924 Sussex Kelly's Directory
1938 Kelly's Directory Kent, Surrey, Sussex
Sussex, Kelly's Directory 1878
1835 Pigot's North Wales Directory
1835 Pigot's South Wales Directory
1844 Pigot's North Wales Directory
1844 Pigot's South Wales Directory
1876 Cassey's Directory of the Chief Towns in North Wales
1913 Cardiff Directory
South Wales District, England. September 1938 Telephone Directory
1835 Pigot's Warwickshire Directory
1849 Birmingham Whites Directory
1850 Warwickshire Slater's Royal Directory
1868 Warwickshire, Kelly's Post Office Directory
1874 Warwickshire White's Directory
1901 Warwickshire Deacon's County Blue Book
1903 Warwickshire, Kelly's Directory of Birmingham
1933 Warwick & Leamington Spa Kelly's Directory
Birmingham Post Office Directory 1850
1828 Westmorland Pigot's Directory
1855 Westmorland Slater's Directory
1894 Westmorland Kelly's Directory
1906 Westmorland, Kelly's Directory
1925 Westmorland Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1929 Westmorland Directory
Kelly's Cumberland and Westmorland Directory 1921
1899 Wiltshire Kelly's Directory
1911 Wiltshire Kelly's Directory
1923 Wiltshire Kelly's Directory
Kelly's 1912 Directory of Wiltshire
1835 Pigot's Worcestershire Directory
1850 Worcestershire Slater's Royal Directory
1873 Worcestershire Littlebury's Directory
1889 Worcestershire, Kidderminster Guide and Directory
1901 Worcestershire Deacon's County Blue Book
1921 Worcestershire Kelly's Directory
Worcestershire Post Office Directory 1850
1822 York & Ainsty Directory
1822 Yorkshire East Riding Directory
1822 Yorkshire North Riding Directory
1830 Leeds Parson & White's Directory
1840 Yorkshire, History of the East and North Ridings
1861 Leeds & Bradford White's Directory
1871 Sheffield Directory
1872 Johnson and Tesseyman's York Directory
1890 Bulmer's North Yorkshire Directory
1892 Bulmer's East Yorkshire Directory
1892 Hull Directory
1900-1901 Yorkshire Phone Book
1906 Bradford Alphabetical Directory
1906 Bradford Street Directory
1906 Bradford Trade Directory
1907 Leeds Alphabetical Directory
1909 Hull Directory
1909 York Street and Trade Directory
1913 Directory of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire
1920 Bradford and District Directory
1921 Bradford Directory
1921 N and E Ridings Yorkshire Directory
1923 Leeds Alphabetical Directory
1923 Leeds Street Directory
1936 Kelly's Directory of Bradford and Suburbs
Barnsley & District Directory 1902
Bradford District Trade Directory 1920-1921
Bradford Trade Directory 1920-1921
Domesday record for York, 1809
Gent's History of Hull 1735
Halifax, Huddersfield and Dewsbury 1863-1864 Mercantile Directory
Historic Sketch of the Town of Sheffield 1822
Huddersfield County Borough Directory 1937
Huddersfield Directory 1937
Hull Directory 1872
Hull Directory 1897
Kelly's Directory of Bradford 1927
Kelly's Directory of North Riding Yorkshire 1897
Leeds Directory 1907
Leeds Trade Directory 1837
Mercentile Bradford 1863
Pigot's Yorkshire 1834 Directory
Sheffield and District Directory 1912
The East Riding of Yorkshire Directory 1897
The Post Office Bradford Directory, 1921
Whites Kingston-upon-Hull 1846
York Directory 1897
Yorkshire - Leeds & Bradford Directory circa 1861
Yorkshire & the Northern Province Phone Book [1900-01]
Yorkshire Who's Who's, 1912
Yorkshire, History, Directory and Gazetteer 1822 (Vol.1 West Riding)
Yorkshire, History, Directory and Gazetteer 1823 (Vol.2 East and North Ridings)
Yorkshire, West Riding 1936 Kellys Directory
= The diamond subscription adds extra Coverage to the recordset.
Please ensure you have read our full Terms & Conditions.