Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1912 (Digital Download & CD Edition)

Step back into the Edwardian era with this complete republication of Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire 1912. An invaluable resource for genealogists, local historians, and house researchers, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in the county just two years before the outbreak of the First World War.

Whether you are tracing the history of an ancestor who worked the land in the Fens or an academic in the university city of Cambridge, this directory provides the details you won’t find in standard census records.

Format & Navigation

This product is available as a Digital Download or on a CD.

Please Note: This directory consists of high-quality, scanned images of the original book. While the text is not embedded (meaning it is not instantly searchable in the traditional sense), the directory has been digitized in a format that is incredibly easy to navigate. The original publishers organized the data alphabetically by town and village, and by surname within the Private Residents and Trade sections, making it simple to flip to the area of interest.

Tech Tip: Most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Edge browser) now feature "OCR on the fly." This means you can often use the search function within your PDF software to find specific surnames or street names, even though the book is a scan.

Inside the Directory

This comprehensive volume is divided into several distinct sections to help you piece together your family history:

• County Information: A detailed history of Cambridgeshire, including topography, geology, and administrative details such as the Magistrates and the County Council.
• Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of the gentry, clergy, and prominent citizens (head of household only) alongside their addresses.
• Commercial & Trades Directory: A classified list of businesses and tradespeople. If your ancestor was a baker, a blacksmith, or a straw plaiter, you will find them listed here under their specific trade.
• Town & Village Directories: Detailed street-by-street and alphabetical listings for major towns like Cambridge, Wisbech, Ely, and Chatteris, as well as every small hamlet in the county.
• Institutions & Officials: Information on churches, schools, charities, hospitals, and local officials.

Bridging the Census Gaps

The 1911 Census is a vital tool, but genealogy requires context. This directory acts as a perfect "bridge" between the 1911 and 1921 censuses.

If you have "lost" a family member between these two census years, the 1912 Directory can help pinpoint exactly where they were living and what trade they were practicing. It confirms residence in a specific year, helping to track movements in the years immediately preceding the Great War.

Cambridgeshire Life in 1912: Facts & Famous Residents

The 1912 directory captures Cambridgeshire at a time of transition—where ancient agricultural traditions met the modern academic prestige of the University.

• Famous Residents & Academic Giants: In 1912, the streets of Cambridge were walked by some of the greatest minds of the age. You will find entries for figures such as J.J. Thomson, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist who was then Master of Trinity College, and the philosopher G.E. Moore.
• Industry: Outside the university, the county was driven by agriculture. The directory features extensive listings for the Fruit and Vegetable Growing industry in the fertile fens, Straw Plaiting (though declining, still present), and the brick-making industry that dominated areas like Whittlesey and March.
• Sport: The county was obsessed with Rowing. The directory lists the various boat clubs along the Cam, including the renowned Cambridge University Boat Club, who were preparing for the annual Boat Race against Oxford. Football was also rising in popularity, with entries for local clubs like Cambridge Town FC (who would later evolve into Cambridge United) and Wisbech Town.

Important Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to provide a complete reproduction of the original 1912 directory. However, please be aware that the original publisher occasionally omitted certain town maps from the standard edition due to printing constraints of the time. Therefore, some fold-out maps or street plans may be missing from this publication, as they were absent from the source book used for scanning.