Kelly's Directory Of Leicestershire & Rutland 1895

Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire & Rutland 1895 - Digital Download or CD

Product Description:

Unlock the history of your ancestors with this comprehensive republication of Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire & Rutland 1895. An essential resource for genealogists and local historians, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in the late Victorian era, bridging the gap between the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

Format & Navigation Please note that this directory is a reproduction of scanned original images. It is not text-searchable in the traditional sense. However, due to the structured, alphabetical nature of the directory, locating specific towns, villages, and surnames is straightforward. Additionally, many modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat) now offer "Run OCR" features, allowing you to search the text on the fly if required.

What's Inside: This extensive volume is divided into clear, easy-to-use sections:

• County Information: A detailed history and topography of both Leicestershire and Rutland, including geology, agriculture, and administrative statistics.
• Court Directory: A list of the nobility, gentry, and clergy residing in the counties.
• Trades Directory: An alphabetical list of tradespeople, merchants, and farmers for every town and village—from the bustling streets of Leicester to the quiet hamlets of Rutland.
• Private Residents: A directory of private households, invaluable for tracing family movements.
• Towns & Villages Covered: Includes detailed street directories for major towns like Leicester, Loughborough, and Melton Mowbray, as well as comprehensive coverage of Oakham, Uppingham, and surrounding villages.

Bridging the Census Gaps The 1890s are a "blind spot" for many researchers. The 1891 Census is a snapshot, and by 1901, families have often moved or changed. This 1895 directory is the perfect tool to confirm where your ancestors were living and what they were doing for work in the mid-decade years.

Famous Residents & Historical Context This directory records the whereabouts of prominent figures and the industrial landscape of the time:

• Industrial Heritage: Leicestershire was the heart of the boot and shoe industry. Look for the ancestors of those who built the foundations of companies like Liberty Shoes and the Co-operative Shoe Society. The county was also famed for its hosiery and woolen manufactures.
• Education: The directory lists the masters and pupils of prestigious institutions such as Uppingham School and Oakham School, which were already centers of educational excellence.
• Notable Figures: While Thomas Cook (the pioneer of tourism) had passed away in 1892, his business legacy, Thomas Cook & Son, was still operating prominently in Leicester. You may also find references to the Taylor Bell Foundry in Loughborough, which was already world-renowned for casting bells (including the Great Paul bell for St. Paul's Cathedral).
• Sport: Leicester Fosse (the precursor to Leicester City FC) had been founded a decade prior and were active in the local leagues; you may find early committee members or players listed in their trades.

Interesting Facts about the Area in 1895:

• The Stilton Industry: While named after a village in Cambridgeshire, the production of the famous Blue Stilton cheese was largely centered in Melton Mowbray and the surrounding Leicestershire villages during this period.
• The Fox Hunting Capital: Melton Mowbray was known as the "Rural Capital of England" and the center of fox hunting, hosting the famous Quorn and Cottesmore hunts. The directory is replete with saddlers, grooms, and hunt servants.
• Rutland: As the smallest historic county in England, Rutland offers a tight-knit community history, with Oakham serving as the county town where the ancient tradition of presenting "Horseshoes" to Royalty was still a point of local pride.

Map Disclaimer & Bonus Please Note: Some original copies of this directory were issued without the fold-out county map. We have endeavored to include the map where available, but if the original map was missing from the source book used for scanning, it will be absent from this product. If the map is present in your copy, please consider it a bonus addition to an already comprehensive resource.