The Post Office Directory of Glasgow 1940-1941 (Digital Download or CD)

Step back into the heart of wartime Scotland with this fascinating snapshot of Glasgow life.

This digital reproduction of the Post Office Directory of Glasgow 1940-1941 is an invaluable resource for genealogists, local historians, and anyone researching family history in the "Second City of the Empire." Covering a tumultuous period in world history, this directory bridges the gap left by the missing 1931 Census (destroyed in the war) and the cancelled 1941 Census, offering a crucial census substitute for tracking family movements during the early years of WWII.

Important Format & Navigation Information

Please Note: This directory is a high-quality scan of the original book, consisting of digitized images, not transcribed text. It is not internally searchable by typing in a name in the traditional sense. However, due to the strict alphabetical arrangement of the sections, navigation is straightforward and intuitive.

Tech Tip: Most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or the default viewers in Chrome and Edge) now offer OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly. This means you can often use the "Find" (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) function to search for surnames or street names, even though the book is presented as an image.

What’s Inside the Directory?

This comprehensive volume is divided into clear sections to help you pinpoint your ancestors:

1. Alphabetical List of Residents: The core of the directory. A list of private residents, tradesmen, and heads of households, arranged alphabetically by surname. This allows you to pinpoint exactly who lived at a specific address during the Blitz.
2. Street Directory: An alphabetical list of streets in Glasgow (and surrounding suburbs), showing the head of the householder at every number. This is essential for tracking neighbors and verifying if a house number has changed.
3. Commercial & Trades Directory: A classified list of businesses and professions. Want to know who the local bakers, grocers, or shipbuilders were? This section lists them by trade.
4. Official & Ecclesiastical Directory: Listings for national and local government officials, churches, ministers, public institutions, hospitals, and schools.
5. Miscellaneous Information: Often includes conveyancers, law agents, and public notaries.

Historical Context: Glasgow in 1940-1941

Owning this directory is like holding a piece of history. The years 1940 and 1941 were defining moments for Glasgow:

• The Clydebank Blitz: While the directory covers Glasgow, it captures the city just before and during the devastating air raids on the Clyde shipbuilding towns in March 1941. Glasgow was the engine room of the British war effort, and this directory lists the thousands of workers who kept the munitions factories and shipyards running.
• Industrial Powerhouse: At this time, Glasgow was responsible for a huge percentage of Britain's ships and marine engines. The directory is packed with engineers, riveters, and draughtsmen working in famous yards like John Brown’s and Harland & Wolff.
• Sporting Legends: Despite the war, sport continued where possible to boost morale.
  • Rangers FC were dominant in Scottish football during this era.
  • Celtic FC were also a major force, though many players had enlisted.
  • Third Lanark and Queen’s Park are also prominently featured in the resident lists around their respective grounds (Cathkin Park and Hampden).
• Famous Residents & Sons:
  • Sir John MacCormick: A leading Scottish nationalist and rector of the University of Glasgow at the time.
  • Sir Alexander Fleming: The Penicillin discoverer (born in Darvel, but with strong ties to Glasgow hospitals) was active in the medical community listed in the professional sections.
  • Rikki Fulton: The famous comedian would have been a teenager in Glasgow at this time, potentially listed with his family before his fame.

Product Disclaimer

Please be aware that the original source volume used for this scan was missing certain map pages. Therefore, some street maps that may have appeared in the original publication are absent from this digital edition.

Formats Available

• Digital Download: Immediate access after purchase. No waiting for shipping.
• CD-ROM: A physical disc posted to you, ideal for archiving or those with slower internet connections.