Jolliffe's Directory Of Tavistock 1918

Jolliffe’s Directory of Tavistock 1918 - Digital Download or CD Rom

Step back into the twilight of the First World War with a reproduction of Jolliffe's Directory of Tavistock 1918. Whether you are a local historian, a seasoned genealogist, or someone looking to piece together your Devonian family tree, this invaluable resource provides a detailed snapshot of life in this historic West Devon market town.

Bridging the Census Gaps: Your Essential Research Backup

Genealogists know the frustration of the "census gaps." The 1921 census is the most recent to be opened (and is often locked behind expensive paywalls), while the 1931 census was destroyed in a fire, and the 1941 census was never taken due to WWII. This places Jolliffe's 1918 in a crucial period, acting as the perfect bridge between the 1911 census and the 1939 Register.

Furthermore, just as we see a rise in government distrust and data privacy concerns today, our ancestors were no different. During the 1911 census, the Suffragette movement orchestrated a mass boycott, and many ordinary citizens simply refused to fill out the forms or provided false information to avoid taxation or military scrutiny. If your ancestors are mysteriously missing from the official census returns, there is a very high chance they are recorded right here in this directory instead.

What's Inside the Directory?

Because of the highly organized, alphabetical nature of Jolliffe's directories, navigating these pages is incredibly easy, even though they are scanned images of the original text. The 1918 edition is divided into highly useful sections:

• Town & Borough Information: Historical background, local governance, and civic statistics.
• Official Directory: Listings for the Mayor, Magistrates, Town Council, Borough Officers, and local board members.
• Ecclesiastical & Educational: Details of the churches, clergy, schools, and schoolmasters in the area.
• Street Directory: A house-by-house guide to the main streets of Tavistock (invaluable for pinpointing exact locations).
• Alphabetical Directory of Private Residents: The core genealogical goldmine—listing the names, occupations, and addresses of everyday residents.
• Commercial & Trade Directory: A classified list of local businesses, from blacksmiths to bakers.
• Surrounding Villages & Parishes: Includes listings for neighboring areas such as Horrabridge, Mary Tavy, Bere Alston, and Brentor, making it a comprehensive regional tool.

Tavistock in 1918: A Town of Legacy and Grit

To understand the context of this directory, it helps to understand the town it documents. In 1918, Tavistock was a town riding the wave of its industrial past while deeply entrenched in the Great War.

• Famous Sons: Tavistock is the birthplace of the legendary Elizabethan seafarer Sir Francis Drake (born at Crowndale Farm in 1540). By 1918, his legacy still loomed large over the town.
• Industry: For centuries, Tavistock was the beating heart of the Devon copper mining industry. Though the mines had waned by 1918, the Tavistock Canal and the vast estates of the Dukes of Bedford continued to shape the local economy and employment.
• Sport & Culture: The town was (and remains) fiercely proud of Tavistock Rugby Club (founded in 1875), which would have been a central social hub for the men returning from or waiting to go to the trenches. Additionally, traditional Devon brass bands and local choral societies were highly active in the area, providing much-needed morale during the war years.

Cutting-Edge Usability for Modern Researchers

While this product consists of scanned images of the original book, you are not limited to old-school reading methods! Thanks to modern technology, this directory is more accessible than ever:

• Alphabetical Ease: The original compilers organized the names alphabetically, meaning you can visually scroll to the letter of your ancestor's surname with zero hassle.
• Desktop PDF OCR & Google Lens: When opened on a desktop PC using a modern PDF reader (like Adobe Acrobat or Edge), the built-in Google Lens integration can perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly. This means you can highlight the text, copy it, and paste it straight into your family tree software.
• Translation: Have an ancestor with a European surname or a strange archaic trade term? Desktop Google Lens can translate the scanned text into modern English or other languages instantly.
• Text-to-Speech: For researchers who are visually impaired or simply tired of reading screens, desktop PDF readers can use built-in text-to-speech to read the directory entries aloud to you. (Please note: These advanced OCR, translation, and Text-to-Speech features are only available when viewing the PDF on a Desktop PC, not on mobile devices or standard tablets).

Important Disclaimer

Please Note: Unless specifically stated otherwise in the product listing, the original fold-out map usually included in the front of Jolliffe's directories is MISSING from this specific edition. This was common in surviving copies where the map was removed or lost over the last century.

Format Options

Choose the format that best suits your research style:

1. Digital Download: Instant access. Receive a download link immediately after purchase. No shipping costs, no waiting.
2. CD-ROM: Perfect for those who want a physical backup of their genealogical data. Shipped directly to your door in a protective jewel case.

Reconnect with your Tavistock roots today. Add Jolliffe's 1918 Directory to your cart and unlock the secrets of your West Devon ancestors!