Kelly's Directory Of Buckinghamshire 1915

Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1915 - Digital Download or CD

Product Description:

Step back into the heart of the Home Counties during the First World War with this comprehensive republishing of Kelly's Directory of Buckinghamshire 1915.

A vital resource for genealogists and local historians, this directory serves as an essential "census substitute," bridging the gap between the 1911 census and the upcoming 1921 survey. Whether your ancestors were country gentry, shopkeepers in bustling market towns, or farmers working the Vale of Aylesbury, this directory provides a snapshot of their lives and trades during a pivotal moment in history.

Format & Navigation This directory is available as a high-quality digital download or on a CD-ROM. Please note that this is a facsimile of the original book, comprising scanned images. The text is not embedded or searchable in the traditional sense. However, thanks to the alphabetical arrangement of the names and trades, navigation is straightforward and intuitive. Furthermore, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser-based viewers) now offer OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly, allowing you to search the text using the "Find" tool within the reader software.

What's Inside? This extensive volume is packed with detailed information, divided into easy-to-use sections:

• Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of private residents, excluding trade farmers. This is excellent for tracing family movements and establishing the social status of your ancestors.
• Commercial & Trade Directory: Listed alphabetically by surname and also by trade. Find out who ran the local bakery, who was blacksmithing in the village square, or which merchants were operating in the towns.
• Street Directory: Detailed listings for major towns such as Aylesbury, High Wycombe, and Buckingham, showing the head of the household for specific addresses—perfect for pinpointing exactly where your family lived.
• Parish & Town Histories: Descriptive accounts of the topography, ancient history, and local government of the area.
• Official Information: Details on local courts, magistrates, clergy, and public officials.

Bridging the Census Gaps With the 1911 Census being the last publicly available record for this period and the 1921 Census only recently released (and expensive), the 1915 Directory is an invaluable tool for tracking family changes during World War I. It captures the population shift as men enlisted for the war effort and women began taking on new roles in the workforce.

Famous Residents & Historical Context Buckinghamshire has long been a retreat for the wealthy and the influential. In this era, the county was dominated by the landed gentry and influential industrialists. While browsing, you may come across references to:

• The Rothschild Family: By 1915, the Rothschilds were firmly established as one of the most powerful families in the county, with estates at Mentmore and Aston Clinton. Their influence on local architecture and agriculture is profound.
• Benjamin Disraeli (Historical connection): Though the former Prime Minister and Earl of Beaconsfield passed away in 1881, his presence at Hughenden Manor is a defining feature of the county’s history detailed in the local sections.
• Edmund Burke: The famous statesman is buried in the small churchyard at Little Missenden, a point of local pride noted in the directory’s descriptive text.

Local Industry & Facts In 1915, Buckinghamshire was a mix of rural tradition and emerging industry:

• The Furniture Trade: The area around High Wycombe was the center of the British furniture industry, particularly chair making. Known as the "Chair Town," it was home to many skilled craftsmen (bodgers) and large factories listed in the trade sections.
• Lacemaking & Straw Plait: While in decline by 1915, these traditional cottage industries, particularly around Olney and Great Marlow, were still part of the county's heritage.
• Agriculture: The heavy clay soil of the Vale of Aylesbury supported a robust dairy and agricultural community.
• Sport: The directory lists local cricket and football clubs, reflecting the importance of village social life even during wartime.

Important Disclaimer Please be aware that in the original 1915 publication, some fold-out maps or street plans were occasionally bound inconsistently or were prone to damage over the last century. While we have made every effort to include all pages, original maps may be missing or incomplete from this digital reproduction.