Kelly's Directory of Gloucestershire 1914 (Digital Download & CD)

Step back in time to the eve of the First World War with this comprehensive republishing of Kelly's Directory of Gloucestershire 1914.

This invaluable genealogical resource offers a fascinating snapshot of life in Gloucestershire just as the Edwardian era was drawing to a close. Whether you are tracing your family tree, researching local history, or exploring the evolution of the county, this directory is an essential tool for bridging the gap between the 1911 and 1921 censuses.

Format & Accessibility

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

Please note: This directory consists of high-resolution scanned images of the original pages. It is not a text-searchable database in the traditional sense. However, due to the structured alphabetical nature of the directory, navigation is straightforward and intuitive. Furthermore, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat) feature "OCR on the fly," allowing you to search for specific surnames or places using the "Find" function within your reader software.

Why This Directory is Essential for Genealogists

The 1911 census is a landmark, but the 1921 census was only recently released. For decades, directories like this were the primary way to track family movements between 1911 and 1939. This 1914 edition is particularly poignant as it lists the men who would shortly go off to fight in the Great War, capturing their occupations and addresses before their lives changed forever.

What's Inside: Detailed Breakdown of Sections

The directory is meticulously organized into several key sections:

1. County Information: A detailed history and topography of Gloucestershire, including official statistics, topographical descriptions of the hundreds, and information on the Magistrates.
2. Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of private residents (heads of households) and their addresses. This is excellent for tracing the gentry, professionals, and middle-class ancestors.
3. Commercial Directory: A classified trade directory. This is where you find your ancestors' trades. From bakers to blacksmiths, engineers to innkeepers, it details exactly who was doing business in Gloucestershire in 1914.
4. Towns & Villages: Street-by-street and alphabetical listings for major towns (Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, Tewkesbury) and the smallest hamlets.

Gloucestershire in 1914: Famous Residents & Facts

This directory captures a county in its industrial and cultural prime.

• Industry: At this time, Gloucestershire was a powerhouse of the engineering and aviation world. In Gloucester, Fielding & Platt was famous worldwide for its engineering works, while the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company was a major employer. In the Stroud valleys, the woollen industry was still bustling, and the Forest of Dean was humming with coal mining and iron production.
• Famous People & Connections:
  • Gustav Holst: Although born in Cheltenham, by 1914 Holst was beginning his rise to fame. You may find his family relatives still listed in the Cheltenham private resident sections.
  • Ivor Gurney: The poet and composer, a native of Gloucester, was 24 years old in 1914. This directory serves as a backdrop to the landscape he so famously loved and wrote about before he enlisted.
  • Edward Thomas: The poet lived near the Cotswolds during this period and walked the county extensively before his death in 1917.
• Sport: The county had a strong sporting culture. Gloucester Rugby Club (founded 1873) was well established, and Cheltenham Racecourse was already a premier destination for steeplechasing, though the famous "Gold Cup" would not officially be named so until 1924.
• Music & Culture: The Three Choirs Festival, rotating between Gloucester, Worcester, and Hereford, was a major event on the social calendar, bringing the finest musicians to the county.

Map Disclaimer & Bonus

Disclaimer: Please be aware that due to the age and binding of the original antique books, some fold-out maps may have been missing or damaged prior to scanning. We have done our best to preserve all available content.

Bonus: If the original map was present and intact for this specific edition scan, it is included as a fantastic bonus, providing a detailed look at the county’s road networks and parish boundaries as they existed over a century ago.