Kelly's Directory Of Berkshire 1883

Kelly's Directory of Berkshire 1883 - Digital Download or CD

Product Description:

Step back into the Victorian era with this high-quality reproduction of Kelly’s Directory of Berkshire 1883. An essential resource for genealogists, local historians, and house researchers, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in Berkshire just two years after the 1881 census.

Whether your ancestors were wealthy landowners, tradesmen in bustling Reading, or agricultural laborers in the Vale of the White Horse, this directory provides the details you need to flesh out your family tree.

About This Format

This directory is available as a digital download or on a CD-ROM. Please note that this is a facsimile edition consisting of scanned images of the original book. The text is not embedded in the traditional sense, but the directory has been digitized in high resolution. Because of the alphabetical arrangement of sections, navigation is straightforward and intuitive. Furthermore, many modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser-based viewers) now perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly, allowing you to search the text for specific surnames or places.

Bridging the Census Gap

The UK census provides a snapshot every ten years, leaving gaps where families moved, children were born, or loved ones passed away. This 1883 directory is the perfect tool for bridging the gap between the 1881 and 1891 censuses. If you have lost track of a family between these years, this directory may help you pinpoint exactly where they were living and their occupation midway through the decade.

What’s Inside the Directory?

Kelly’s Directories are renowned for their comprehensive detail. This edition is divided into several useful sections:

• General Information & History: A detailed description of the county, including its topography, ancient history, magistrates, and geology.
• Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of private residents (heads of households) throughout the county. This is invaluable for tracing the gentry and more affluent ancestors who did not run trades.
• Commercial & Trades Directory: A classified list of trades and professions. From blacksmiths to bakers, wheelwrights to wig-makers, this section helps you discover the working lives of your ancestors.
• Town & Parish Street Directories: Detailed street-by-street listings for major towns like Reading, Windsor, Maidenhead, and Abingdon, as well as comprehensive listings for every village in the county.

Berkshire Life in 1883: Famous Faces & Facts

This directory captures Berkshire at a time of great industry and tradition.

• The "Three B's" of Reading: In 1883, Reading was known as the hub of the "Three Bs": Bread, Bulbs, and Biscuits. Look out for listings related to Huntley & Palmers Biscuits, which was already the largest biscuit factory in the world at this time. You may also find ancestors working for Sutton’s Seeds, a giant in the horticultural industry.
• Royalty & The Castle: The directory covers Windsor, home to the Royal Family. While the Royal Family themselves are not listed in the commercial sections (in the traditional sense), the directory is packed with the names of the staff, shopkeepers, and tradespeople who kept the castle and the town running.
• Local Football: The football team Reading FC, founded in 1871, was active during this period. While professional leagues were still forming, the athletic spirit of the town was growing, and you may find local sporting goods suppliers or venues listed.
• Famous Residents: The county was home to notable figures of the time. John Walter III, the proprietor of The Times newspaper, resided at Bearwood House near Wokingham (then part of Berkshire). His estate and the staff required to maintain it would have been a significant employer in the area.

Important Disclaimer

Please be aware that in the original 1883 publication, the pull-out County Map was sometimes issued as a loose supplement. Consequently, in some original surviving copies (and therefore in this scan), the map may be missing or damaged. We have made every effort to include all pages available in the source text, but we cannot guarantee the presence of the original map.

System Requirements: To view these PDF files, you will need a PDF reader installed on your computer or device. These scans are compatible with Windows, Mac, and most tablets/smartphones.