Pike's Directory Blue Book Of Folkestone Hythe & Sandgate 1897-1898

Pike's Directory Blue Book Of Folkestone, Hythe & Sandgate 1897-1898 (Digital Download or CD)

Product Description

Step back into the late Victorian era with this fascinating republication of Pike's Directory Blue Book Of Folkestone, Hythe & Sandgate 1897-1898. This essential resource for genealogists, local historians, and house researchers offers a detailed snapshot of life on the Kent coast during the height of Queen Victoria’s reign.

Whether you are tracing your family tree or researching the history of your house, this directory provides an intimate look at the residents, trades, and infrastructure of these bustling seaside towns.

Navigating the Directory

This directory is a high-quality scan of the original pages, presented in a PDF format. While the text itself is not embedded (it is an image), the directory is organized alphabetically by surname and trade, making manual navigation straightforward and intuitive.

Please Note: Most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat, Edge, or Preview) now feature powerful "OCR on the fly" capabilities. This means you can often use the search function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to locate surnames or street names, even though the file is a scan.

Bridging the Census Gaps

The 1890s are a tricky decade for researchers. The 1891 Census is a fading memory, and the 1901 Census is still on the horizon. This 1897-1898 directory is the perfect tool to bridge that gap. It allows you to pinpoint exactly where your ancestors were living and what they were doing for work in the interim years, confirming if they moved house or changed trades between the national counts.

What's Inside?

Pike's Blue Books were renowned for their comprehensiveness. This volume includes:

• Street Directory: A listing of households by street, invaluable for house historians wanting to see who lived in a specific property in 1897.
• Commercial & Trade Directory: Find the local butcher, baker, and candlestick maker. This section lists businesses by trade, helping you understand the local economy.
• Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of private citizens, often distinguishing between "Gentlemen" and the working class, reflecting the social structure of the time.
• Official Information: Details of local councils, corporations, officials, and emergency services.
• Court & Postal Information: Sitings of local post offices, court times, and railway schedules connecting the towns to London and the Continent.

Local History & Interesting Facts (1897-1898 Context)

This directory captures Folkestone, Hythe, and Sandgate during a period of immense popularity and transition.

• The "Brighton of the South": By 1897, Folkestone was at its peak as a fashionable resort. The directory is filled with advertisements for guest houses and hotels catering to the Victorian elite who flocked here for the sea air and the Leas.
• The Harbour & Cross-Channel Traffic: Folkestone was a bustling port. You will find numerous entries for shipping agents, boatmen, and railway workers connected to the Harbour Station, which was the gateway to the Continent (Boulogne).
• Famous Connections:
  • Mary Tourtel: The creator of Rupert Bear (born Mary Caldwell) was a native of the area. While she would later gain fame, the Tourtel family was well-established in the local art and photography scene during this time.
  • Dr. William Harvey: Although the famous physician (discoverer of blood circulation) was born in Folkestone centuries earlier, his legacy was strong in the town's medical institutions listed in the directory.
  • The Military Presence: With the Napoleonic wars long gone, the area maintained a strong garrison. Shorncliffe Camp (near Sandgate) is a major feature in the directory, housing regiments that would soon see action in the Boer War and WWI.
• Sport & Leisure: The directory lists local cricket clubs, archery clubs, and the famously windy Folkestone Golf Club. It was a time when the "healthy outdoor life" was a Victorian obsession.
• Industry: Beyond tourism, the directory highlights the cement works and the shipbuilding industry that were still thriving in Hythe and the surrounding areas.

Important Disclaimer Regarding Maps

Please be aware that in many original copies of this directory, the map pages were loose inserts and have been lost over the last 120+ years. As such, we cannot guarantee that a map is included in this scan. However, if the original book scanned contained the map, it will be present in this PDF—consider it a bonus if it is there!

Formats Available:

• Digital Download: Instant access after purchase (high-quality PDF).
• CD-ROM: Mailed to your address (perfect for those who prefer a physical backup).