Kelly's Directory Of Buckinghamshire 1939

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1939 - Genealogy & History Resource (Digital Download / CD)

Product Description:

Unlock the history of your Buckinghamshire ancestors with this complete republication of Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1939. This essential genealogical tool offers a fascinating snapshot of life in the county on the eve of the Second World War, making it an invaluable resource for family historians and local researchers.

Navigating the 1939 Census Gap With the 1931 Census destroyed by fire during WWII and the 1941 Census cancelled due to the war, the 1939 Register is the only official census substitute for this era. However, directories like this one fill in the crucial gaps that the Register cannot. While the 1939 Register captures who was sleeping in a house on one specific night, this directory provides a year-round view of trades, occupations, and private residences, helping you trace family movements and occupations during the inter-war years.

About the Format & Navigation This directory is a high-quality digital replica of the original book, consisting of scanned images in PDF format.

• Scanned Images: Please note that this is not a text-searchable database in the traditional sense. It is a collection of scanned pages representing the original book.
• Easy Navigation: Despite being scanned images, the directory is extremely easy to use. The Private Resident and Commercial sections are arranged alphabetically by surname and trade, allowing you to quickly jump to the section you need using the bookmarks included in the PDF.
• OCR Compatibility: While the file itself is an image scan, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat and browser-based viewers) now perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly. This often allows you to use the "Find" function (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) to search for names, though accuracy depends on the clarity of the original print.

Contents of the Directory This comprehensive volume is divided into several useful sections:

1. County Information: Detailed statistics and topography of Buckinghamshire, including geology, agriculture, and history.
2. Private Residents: An alphabetical listing of the county’s gentry, professionals, and private citizens, alongside their addresses.
3. Commercial & Trades Directory: A classified list of businesses and tradespeople, allowing you to see who ran the local baker, forge, or post office in your ancestor's village.
4. Towns & Villages: Detailed street-by-street or alphabetical listings for major towns and villages, including Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Slough, and Buckingham.
5. Court & Administrative Directory: Listings of local government officials, magistrates, and public officers.
6. Advertisements: Period advertisements that offer a wonderful flavor of the era, promoting local products and services of the time.

Buckinghamshire in 1939: Context & Interest This directory captures a county in transition, balancing its rural heritage with growing industrialization.

• The Furniture Industry: The High Wycombe area was the heart of Britain's furniture industry, famously known as the "Furniture Capital of England." In 1939, the directory is filled with chair makers, cabinet makers, and wood turners, many of whom would later be pivotal in manufacturing parts for the war effort (such as Mosquito aircraft).
• Pinewood Studios: Having opened only in 1936, Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath was a new and booming addition to the county. By 1939, it was establishing itself as a major hub for British cinema, employing hundreds of local technicians and artisans.
• Sport: Football was a popular passion, with clubs like Wycombe Wanderers (founded in 1887) competing in the Great Western Suburban League, fostering local community spirit.
• Famous Residents:
  • Enid Blyton: The famous children’s author was living in Beaconsfield at "Green Hedges" in 1939. She was at the height of her productivity, writing many of her beloved works in the county during this period.
  • Political Figures: As the home of Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country retreat, Buckinghamshire was frequently in the news. With Neville Chamberlain and later Winston Churchill utilizing the estate during 1939, the county was the center of political gravity during the crisis years.

Important Disclaimer Please be aware that during the digitization of the original book, some pages (specifically within the map sections) were found to be damaged, loose, or missing entirely. As a result, the map section in this digital reproduction may be incomplete or absent.