Kelly's Directory of Southampton 1940-1941: The Essential WWII Census Substitute (Digital Download or CD)

Product Description

Unlock the history of Southampton during one of its most turbulent periods with this exact digital reproduction of Kelly's Directory 1940-1941.

As any family historian knows, the 1931 Census was destroyed in the war and the 1941 Census was never taken due to WWII. This creates a frustrating "black hole" in genealogical records between 1921 and 1951. This directory serves as a vital census substitute, bridging that gap and providing a snapshot of residents, trades, and streets right as the Second World War was raging.

About the Format: Please note that this directory is a scanned reproduction of the original book. The text is not embedded or searchable in the traditional sense. However, due to the alphabetical arrangement of the sections, navigation is intuitive and straightforward. 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" function (Ctrl+F) with a high degree of accuracy.

What's Inside the Directory?

This comprehensive volume is divided into several key sections to help you in your research:

• Street Directory: An alphabetical listing of the streets of Southampton, showing the head of the household or business occupying each property. Perfect for tracing house histories and determining who lived next door to your ancestors.
• Commercial Directory: A classified list of trades and professions. From Anchor Makers to Woolen Merchants, this section allows you to find exactly what your ancestors did for a living.
• Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of the private citizens of standing (the "gentry" and middle classes) living in the area at the time, along with their addresses.
• Official & Municipal Information: Detailed listings of the Corporation, Council officials, Magistrates, and public institutions. This gives a unique insight into the civic machinery running the city during the war effort.
• Local Information: Includes details on the Post Office, Banks, Churches, Schools, and Transport links.

A Snapshot of Southampton: 1940-1941

This directory captures a city on the front line. By late 1940, Southampton was a primary target for the Luftwaffe due to its strategic importance as a major military port and industrial hub.

• The Blitz: The directory covers the period immediately preceding and including the heavy bombing raids of the Blitz (November/December 1940). It lists businesses and homes that, in some tragic cases, may have been destroyed just weeks or months later.
• Industry & The War Effort: Southampton was the heart of the Supermarine aviation works. While the main factory in Woolston was bombed in September 1940, the directory reflects the massive industrial infrastructure that supported the production of the Spitfire, the fighter plane that saved Britain.
• The Port: As the "Gateway to the World," the docks were bustling with military traffic and were the departure point for the famous Dunkirk evacuations (Operation Dynamo) earlier in 1940.

Famous Residents & Connections

While directories typically list the "professional class" rather than everyone, this era places your ancestors alongside the history of famous figures connected to the town:

• R.J. Mitchell: The designer of the Spitfire had lived and worked in the town just prior to his death in 1937. His legacy was the industry dominating the town in 1940.
• Benny Hill: The famous comedian was born in Southampton in 1924. In 1940-1941, a 16-year-old Alfred Hawthorne Hill (his real name) was working various odd jobs in the city, perhaps listed as an errand boy or shop assistant, or living with his family in the Portswood area.
• The Saints: Southampton Football Club (The Saints) is deeply woven into the city's fabric. Though league football was suspended for the duration of the war, the club was a focal point of local pride.

Important Note Regarding Maps

Please be aware that original directories often varied in their inclusion of maps. While we have made every effort to provide a complete reproduction, we cannot guarantee that a street map is present in this specific edition. If a map was included in the original book scanned, it will be included here as a bonus.

Whether you are tracing your family tree, researching the history of your house, or interested in the social history of Southampton during World War II, this directory is an indispensable resource.

Compatible with PC, Mac, and Mobile devices.