Created by Julie Goucher, 2023

Directories enables us to see a snapshot in time, whether that is a home or a business address. If you look at the image here which shows three directories from Guildford in Surrey, representing 1953, 1955 and 1963.

I casually flick through the pages, coming across family members that have long since passed, living in areas that were once independent of Guildford, but now a suburb, in houses since demolished,  working for businesses long since closed, or farming on land on which the University of Surrey sits.

These snapshots enable us to pinpoint a work or home address and build into the individual’s timeline.

The University of Leicester has a special collection of digitised directories which can be accessed free of charge here. There is also a collection of city and county directories dated between 1766-1946 on Ancestry here. 

Crockford’s Directory is a Clerical Directory. It outlines where a cleric is serving and when  they are doing so. This online version is current, covering entries from 1968 onwards. Access is by subscription, which costs £10 for one month of access. The Clergy of the Church of England database covering 1540 – 1835 is a similar offering, though access is free of charge. 

Directories in the modern era have moved away from a published printed version and moved to an online provision. Here is one example from Canada – Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. This is a current version of those practicing in the medical profession in Canada, there are similar websites for medics in other countries. However, a search for the surname of Butcher for my one-name study revealed four individuals, including one who is resident in Australia, but registered in Canada.

A last example is from the University of New England who have published in Australia a database of individuals who were Magistrates of Van Diemen’s Land (modern day Tasmania) between 1804-1860. The database is able to be downloaded, which I did, then I  searched for Butcher which reveals two of my ancestors, John Hunt Butcher and Edward William Burchell Butcher. The methodology that has been undertaken is discussed in THIS article.

Whilst we do not necessarily think of databases being directories, they are a modern spin on it. In closing, one of the really helpful elements of the original printed directories is the preamble at the front of each area. In this section is describes the locale, identifies those who are landowners, and other such prominent people, some trades people such as undertakers etc.