Kelly's Directory Of London 1938

Unlock the Secrets of Pre-War London: Kelly's Directory 1938

Imagine holding a snapshot of London, frozen in time just months before the world changed forever. This is the 1938 edition of Kelly's Directory—a comprehensive and fascinating time capsule of the world's greatest city on the cusp of the Second World War.

More than just a list of names and addresses, this volume is a key to the past. It’s the buzz of Piccadilly Circus, the quiet of a Bloomsbury square, and the clang of a smithy’s hammer in the East End, all captured in print. Within its pages, you can walk the streets of a London that is at once familiar and lost forever.

Inside this invaluable historical record, you will discover:

The Complete Street Directory: A house-by-house, street-by-street survey of London. Find the exact address where your ancestors lived, worked, or ran a business.
The Commercial & Trades Directory: An A-Z of professions and businesses, from grand hotels in Mayfair to family-run grocers in Clapham. Discover the commercial lifeblood of the city.
The Court Directory & Private Residents: A listing of private citizens, offering a unique glimpse into the social fabric and the "who's who" of 1930s London.
Official Information: Details on public offices, hospitals, churches, police stations, and transport links, showing the machinery of the metropolis.
Authentic Contemporary Advertisements: Charming and nostalgic ads for products and services of the day, from motor cars to medicines, providing rich context for social historians.
An Indispensable Tool For:

The Genealogist: Trace your family’s footsteps, pinpoint their homes, and uncover their occupations.
The Historian: A primary source for research into social, urban, and economic history in the interwar period.
The Local Enthusiast: Explore the history of your street, your pub, or your neighbourhood before the Blitz and post-war redevelopment.
The Writer & Researcher: Add authentic, granular detail to novels, articles, or documentaries set in pre-war London