Kelly's Directory Of Redhill Reigate & Neighbourhood 1896-1897

Kelly's Directory of Redhill, Reigate & Neighbourhood 1896-1897 (Digital Download or CD)

Product Description:

Step back into the late Victorian era with this high-quality reproduction of Kelly's Directory of Redhill, Reigate & Neighbourhood 1896-1897. Essential for genealogists, local historians, and house researchers, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in Surrey at the height of Queen Victoria’s reign.

Format & Navigation Please note that this product is a scan of the original book, meaning the text is presented as facsimile images rather than raw searchable text. However, don't let that deter you! The directory is meticulously organized alphabetically by surname and trade, making manual navigation surprisingly intuitive. Furthermore, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser viewers) now feature powerful "OCR on the fly" capabilities, allowing you to search the text just like a modern document.

Bridging the Census Gaps Are you struggling to find an ancestor in the 1891 or 1901 census? You are not alone. It is a common frustration for family historians. Interestingly, just as we see varying levels of government distrust and privacy concerns in the modern era, many Victorians were similarly wary of officialdom. Whether due to privacy fears, a distrust of local officials, or simple absent-mindedness, a significant number of residents refused to fill in census forms or were accidentally missed by enumerators. This directory is the perfect solution. It captures those "missing" residents, as commercial directories relied on local intelligence and canvassing for data, often listing people who actively avoided the official census.

What’s Inside? Section by Section This comprehensive volume is divided into easy-to-use sections:

1. Redhill & Reigate Street Directory: A thorough list of streets, house numbers (where applicable), and the head of household or business occupying each property. Perfect for tracing the history of a specific house.
2. Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of the gentry, professionals, and private citizens living in the area. This is often where you find the wealthy residents who may not have had a specific trade.
3. Commercial & Trades Directory: The "Yellow Pages" of 1896. From bakers and blacksmiths to solicitors and surgeons, if your ancestor had a trade, they are likely listed here.
4. Official Information: Details of local government officials, magistrates, clergy, and medical officers.
5. Neighbouring Villages: Includes coverage of surrounding areas such as Horley, Merstham, Bletchingley, Nutfield, and Gatton, providing a broader view of the region.
6. Advertisements: A delightful collection of Victorian advertisements offering insight into the products, medicines, and services available at the time.

Local History, Famous People & Facts This directory captures Redhill and Reigate during a period of transition. Redhill was rapidly expanding due to the railway, while Reigate retained its ancient market town charm.

• The Area: Known for the "Red Hill" caused by the distinctive red clay, and the ancient Reigate Castle and the mysterious Barons' Caves beneath the town.
• Industry & Railways: The railway industry was the lifeblood of Redhill in 1896. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway works employed hundreds of local men, many of whom you will find listed in the trades section.
• Sport: Reigate Priory Cricket Club was already a well-established institution, playing on the famous Priory grounds. Football was also gaining traction, with local teams forming the backbone of community life.
• Famous Residents: This era saw many literary figures and professionals residing in the Surrey hills for the "clean air."
  • E. W. Hornung: The creator of the Raffles stories (the gentleman thief) lived in Reigate for a time.
  • George Gissing: The renowned Victorian novelist, though his life was transient, spent time in the area, which featured in his writings.
  • Sir Henry Bessemer: While based elsewhere, his influence on the local ironworks and industry was still felt in the trades and engineering listings of the town.

Important Map Disclaimer Please be aware that directories of this age were often bound with care. Some original copies were issued without maps, or in some cases, maps have been removed or lost over the last 130 years. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the presence of the original fold-out map in this specific reproduction. If the map is present in the source copy used for scanning, it will be included as a bonus, but it should not be expected.

Unlock the secrets of your Surrey family tree today with this indispensable historical resource.