Besley's Directory Of Exeter & Suburbs 1911 Census Companion

Product Description

Bridge the Gaps in Your 1911 Exeter Family Tree

The 1911 Census is a cornerstone of genealogy, but what happens when your ancestors are frustratingly absent? Just like today, distrust of government intrusion was rife in 1911. The famous suffragette movement led a mass boycott of the census, with many women refusing to be counted, while other citizens simply evaded the enumerators or spoiled their forms. If your Exeter ancestors are missing from the census, there is a very high chance they are hiding in plain sight within the pages of Besley’s Directory of Exeter & Suburbs 1911.

This essential census companion is available as a convenient Digital Download or on a CD-ROM. While it consists of scanned images of the original book, its strictly alphabetical nature makes navigation incredibly simple. You don't need to scroll through hundreds of pages blindly—just click to the correct alphabetical section to find your relatives.

Modern Tech Meets 1911 History

Don't let the term "scanned images" fool you. When viewed on a Desktop PC, modern PDF readers (like Adobe Acrobat or Chrome) perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly. This means you can:

• Copy and Paste text directly into your family tree software.
• Utilize Built-in Google Lens to instantly search the document for specific surnames or street names.
• Translate the text into different languages at the click of a button.
• Use Text-to-Speech features to have your computer read the directory entries aloud to you—perfect for multitasking or if you struggle with small print! (Please note: These advanced interactive PDF features require a Desktop PC operating system).

What’s Inside? (Directory Sections)

Besley’s Directories were renowned for their comprehensive detail. This 1911 edition includes:

• Alphabetical Directory of Private Residents: The goldmine for genealogists. Find the names, occupations, and exact street addresses of the middle and upper classes.
• Commercial Directory: A complete list of Exeter’s businesses, tradesmen, and shopkeepers. Discover what your ancestors did for a living and who they worked for.
• Street Directory: An invaluable tool for tracing exactly who lived next door to your ancestors in 1911.
• Official & Municipal Information: Details of the City Council, magistrates, police, and local officials.
• Suburbs & Environs: Detailed separate sections for the surrounding villages and suburbs that were rapidly being absorbed by the growing city, including Heavitree, St. Thomas, Exwick, Alphington, and Pinhoe.

Step Back in Time: Exeter in 1911

Using this directory, you aren't just finding names; you are walking the streets of Edwardian Exeter. In 1911, the city was a bustling hub of the West Country.

• Industry & Commerce: Exeter was famous worldwide for its wool and cloth trade, its thriving leather tanneries, and its historic printing industry (Besley & Co. themselves were major local printers). It was also a vital railway hub.
• Sport: Exeter City Football Club, founded just a decade earlier in 1901, was playing in the Southern League in 1911, drawing passionate crowds at St James' Park. Meanwhile, the Exeter Rugby Club was a dominant force in the county.
• Famous Residents: Keep an eye out for notable locals of the era, such as the renowned ecclesiastical sculptor Harry Hems (who ran a massive studio in Longbrook Street and employed dozens of local craftsmen), along with prominent brewery owners, clergymen, and military figures stationed in the garrison town.

Important Disclaimer

Please note: Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the product listing, the original fold-out map of Exeter is missing from this scanned edition. This was a common occurrence with original physical copies of Besley's directories where the map was often removed or lost over the last 110+ years.

Reconnect with your Exeter roots today. Whether they were a shopkeeper on High Street, a clerk in the railway offices, or a suffragette refusing to be counted by the government, they are waiting for you in Besley’s 1911.