Barrett's Directory Of Preston & District 1940 Census Substitute

Barrett’s Directory of Preston & District 1940: The Essential Wartime Census Substitute (Digital Download or CD)

Product Description

Step back in time to Preston on the Home Front with this complete reproduction of Barrett’s Directory of Preston & District 1940.

Are you struggling to trace family members between the 1939 Register and the 1951 Census? With the 1931 Census lost to fire and the 1941 Census cancelled due to the Second World War, finding where your ancestors lived and worked during this pivotal decade can be a challenge. Barrett’s Directory 1940 serves as the perfect "Census Substitute," filling the gap with a detailed snapshot of life in Preston during the early years of WWII.

About This Format Please note that this directory is a high-quality digital scan of the original book, consisting of facsimile images. While the text is not embedded as a searchable layer, the directory is structured alphabetically by street and surname, making navigation intuitive and straightforward. Furthermore, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser-based viewers) now perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly, allowing you to search the text for specific surnames or keywords within the software.

What’s Inside? This comprehensive volume offers a fascinating look at Preston’s residential, commercial, and civic structure. It is divided into easy-to-use sections:

• Street Directory: A full listing of streets in Preston and the immediate surrounding districts, showing the head of household or business at each address. Perfect for house histories.
• Commercial & Trade Directory: An alphabetical list of trades and professions. Find out if your ancestor was a butcher, baker, or an aerospace engineer working in the local munitions factories.
• Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of private citizens, often useful for finding the middle classes and prominent residents who may not appear in the trade sections.
• Official & Municipal Information: Details of the Corporation, Council officials, magistrates, and local public institutions.
• Advertisements: Period advertisements for local shops, providing context for the goods and services available to Prestonians during the war.

Historical Context & Interesting Facts The year 1940 was a turning point for Preston. While the Blitz raged in London and other major cities, Preston was a hub of essential industry.

• The War Effort: Preston was home to English Electric (formerly Dick, Kerr & Co.). During 1940, this factory was crucial to the war effort, manufacturing aircraft, including the Handley Page Hampden and Halifax bombers. You may find ancestors listed as engineers, fitters, or draughtsmen living in the Avenham and Deepdale areas near the works.
• Sport: Despite the war, football continued to boost morale. Preston North End (PNE) was a major presence in the regional wartime leagues. Look out for players or club officials listed in the residential sections.
• Music & Culture: The city maintained a vibrant cultural scene. The Harris Museum and Art Gallery remained a focal point for the city, shielding collections from potential air raids.
• Famous Connections: Preston has a rich history of notable figures. While looking through the 1940 directory, you might stumble upon the residences of local industrialists who shaped the city, or perhaps the early family members of future celebrities born in the area shortly after, such as the comedian Les Dawson (born in 1931, his family roots are deep in the area) or John Inman (born 1935).

Map Disclaimer Please note that due to the age and condition of the original source book, the fold-out maps were sometimes removed or damaged prior to scanning. We cannot guarantee the presence of the original map in this digital reproduction. However, if the map is present and intact, it is included as a valuable bonus.

Why Buy This Directory? Whether you are tracing a family tree, researching the history of your house, or interested in the social history of Lancashire during WWII, this directory is an indispensable resource. It connects the generations lost to the missing census years.

Formats Available:

• PDF Digital Download: Instant access, no shipping waiting times.
• CD-ROM: A physical backup for your archives, perfect for those who prefer a tangible copy.

Order your copy of Barrett’s Directory of Preston & District 1940 today and bridge the gap in your family tree!