Kelly's Directory Of Herefordshire 1895

Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire 1895 - High-Quality Digital Download or CD

Product Description:

Unlock the history of your ancestors and the county of Herefordshire with this complete reproduction of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire 1895. An essential resource for genealogists and local historians, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in the Victorian era, bridging the gap between the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

Format & Navigation This directory is available as a high-quality Digital Download (or CD-ROM). Please note that this product consists of scanned images of the original book pages. While the text itself is not embedded (meaning it is not natively searchable like a modern Word document), the directory is formatted alphabetically by town and parish, making navigation intuitive and straightforward.

Tip: Most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser viewers) now feature "OCR on the fly," allowing you to search the text visually once the file is open on your computer.

Bridging the Census Gaps The 1891 Census provides a snapshot, but ten years is a long time in a person’s life. This 1895 directory is the perfect tool to fill the void between the 1891 and 1901 censuses. If your ancestors moved, changed occupations, or passed away during this decade, this directory may hold the clues you are missing.

A Glimpse into Herefordshire Life in 1895 Beyond names and addresses, this directory provides a rich tapestry of Victorian Herefordshire.

• The Agricultural Heartland: Discover the premier industry of the county. Detailed descriptions of the prominent breeding of Hereford cattle, the cultivation of hops and cider fruit, and the specific agricultural trades that kept the county economy thriving.
• Music & Culture: This era saw the continued prominence of the Three Choirs Festival, which rotated between Hereford, Worcester, and Gloucester. The directory lists the local clergy and gentry who were instrumental in organizing these famed musical events.
• Sport & Leisure: While football clubs like Hereford United would not be formed for a few more decades, the directory highlights the popularity of cricket clubs and traditional shooting parties found across the country estates.

Famous People & Notable Residents The directories of this time were the "social networks" of the day. You will find entries for the gentry, clergy, and tradespeople. Within these pages, you may encounter references to historical figures connected to the area or prominent local families of the time:

• The Nobility: Listings for the residences of prominent landowners such as Lord Somers (of Eastnor Castle) and the baton of the Marquess of Abergavenny.
• Historical Connections: Look out for the historical notes on Hereford City, which reference its connection to Nell Gwynne, the famous actress and mistress of King Charles II, who was long associated with the county.
• Literary Roots: The town of Ledbury is described in detail, notable for being the birthplace of the poet John Masefield (though he would have been a young boy at the time of this printing, his family roots are deep in the area).

What’s Inside the Directory? This comprehensive volume is split into easy-to-use sections:

1. County Information: A detailed history of Herefordshire, including geology, topography, and statistics on acreage and population.
2. Court Directory (The Private Residents): An alphabetical list of the gentry, clergy, and principal residents heads of households.
3. Town & Village Directories: Street-by-street and trade-by-trade breakdowns for major towns like Hereford, Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye, Leominster, and Bromyard, as well as every small village in the county.
4. Classified Trades Directory: A virtual "Yellow Pages" of 1895, listing everyone from Blacksmiths to Wheelwrights, Innkeepers to Tailors.
5. Advertisements: Fascinating period advertisements for local products, Victorian medicines, and services.

Map Disclaimer: Please be aware that in many original antique directories, the county map was removed by previous owners over the last 130 years. While we make every effort to provide complete editions, we cannot guarantee the presence of the map. However, if the map is present in your digital/CD copy, please consider it a bonus!

System Requirements:

• Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• Requires a PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat or similar).