Kelly's Directory of Hertfordshire 1914 (Digital Download or CD)

Step Back in Time to Pre-WW1 Hertfordshire

Unlock the secrets of your family history with this invaluable digital reproduction of the Kelly's Directory of Hertfordshire 1914. Perfect for genealogists, local historians, and anyone researching the "Home Counties" as they were on the eve of the First World War.

This directory serves as an essential "census substitute," bridging the critical gap between the 1911 and 1921 censuses. Unlike the census, which provides a mere snapshot of one night, this directory offers a comprehensive year-round view of the community, listing private residents, tradespeople, and local officials.

Important Technical Notes

• Format: This product is available as a high-quality Digital Download or on CD.
• Scanned Images: The directory consists of scanned images of the original pages. It is not a text-searchable database in the traditional sense.
• Navigation & Search: Don't worry! The directory is compiled alphabetically by town and by surname, making manual navigation incredibly intuitive and fast. Furthermore, modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat) often perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on-the-fly, allowing you to use the "Find" function to search for surnames and places directly within the software.

What’s Inside?

This comprehensive volume is divided into easy-to-use sections:

1. County Information: A detailed look at Hertfordshire as a whole in 1914, including topography, geology, and a description of the government, judiciary, and religious demographics.
2. Court Directory: A listing of the county’s gentry, clergy, and major landowners—essential for tracing family pedigrees and social standing.
3. Town & Village Histories: Fascinating historical and topographical sketches of every major town and village, from the county town of Hertford to the bustling industrial hubs of Watford and the emerging Garden City of Letchworth.
4. Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of private households (excluding the working class). This is the gold mine for family historians looking for where their ancestors lived.
5. Commercial & Trade Directory: An alphabetical list of trades and professions. If your ancestor was a baker, a brewer, or a blacksmith, you will find them here.
6. Advertisements: A delightful collection of contemporary ads for local businesses, offering a flavor of the shopping experience in 1914.

Historical Context: Hertfordshire in 1914

This directory captures a county on the precipice of change. As the Great War began in the summer of 1914, Hertfordshire was transitioning from a rural heartland to a significant industrial and commuter county.

Filling the Census Gaps

With the 1921 Census still years away and the 1931 Census lost to fire, the 1914 Directory is a critical resource for pinpointing ancestors during the WWI era. It helps track movements between the 1911 census and the end of the war.

Famous Residents & Connections

Hertfordshire has long been a home to the great and good. While browsing these pages, you may come across the residences or local haunts of figures connected to the area, such as:

• George Bernard Shaw: The renowned playwright was living at Ayot St Lawrence in 1914. His presence in the district would have been noted in the local gentry or private resident lists.
• Cecil Rhodes: The imperialist and founder of Rhodesia was born in Bishop's Stortford. While he died in 1902, his family and legacy remained prominent in the area during this period.

Interesting Facts & Industry (1914)

• The Garden City Movement: By 1914, Letchworth Garden City was over a decade old and thriving. This directory offers a unique look at the early residents of the world's first garden city, a radical experiment in urban planning that drew architects and socialists from across the globe.
• Industry: While agriculture dominated the north, the south was industrializing. Watford was a major hub for printing (Sun Engraving) and engineering. Hemel Hempstead was still famous for its paper mills, specifically the John Dickinson works.
• Music & Arts: The county was (and remains) home to several choirs and musical societies that were active in 1914, often listed in the town amenities sections.

Disclaimer & Bonus Note

Please be aware that due to the age of the original source material and the binding process of the original books, some pages, particularly fold-out maps, may have been damaged or torn in the original. We have scanned what is available.

THE MAP BONUS: If the original map was intact and present in the source book we scanned, it is included in this download. If you find the county map inside, consider it a fantastic bonus addition to your genealogy toolkit!