Kelly's Directory Of Lincolnshire 1905

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1905 - Digital Download or CD-ROM

Product Description:

Step back into the heart of Edwardian England with this comprehensive repertory of Lincolnshire. Whether you are a genealogist tracing your family tree, a local historian researching the evolution of your village, or simply fascinated by the social history of the early 20th century, this Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1905 is an indispensable resource.

This directory has been meticulously digitized from original sources and is available as a high-quality digital download or on a convenient CD-ROM. Please note that this is a scan of the original book, comprising high-resolution images. While the text is not embedded (meaning you cannot simply "Ctrl+F" to search instantly), the directory is structured alphabetically by town and village, making navigation surprisingly intuitive and straightforward. Furthermore, modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat or browser-based viewers) increasingly offer OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly, allowing you to search the text within many modern viewing applications.

Bridging the Census Gap

Published precisely midway between the 1901 and 1911 censuses, this directory is the perfect tool for filling in the missing years of your ancestry research. It allows you to track the movements of your ancestors between census counts, confirm if a family business was still operating, or identify when a new generation took over the family farm.

What’s Inside the Directory?

This massive volume is divided into several key sections to aid your research:

1. County Information & Statistics: A detailed look at Lincolnshire as a whole in 1905, including topography, geology, and administrative details such as the County Council, Magistrates, and the Dean and Chapter.
2. Court Directory (The Private Residents): An alphabetical list of the gentry, clergy, and notable private residents living in the county at the time. This is often the only place where the names of wives and adult children living at home are recorded outside of a census.
3. Town & Commercial Directory: The heart of the volume. Every major town—from Lincoln to Grantham, Boston to Louth—and every small village is listed in alphabetical order.
   • Each entry provides a brief history of the location.
   • It lists local officials (Parish Clerks, Constables, Overseers).
   • It details tradespeople, from Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights to Grocers and Innkeepers, offering a vivid picture of the local economy.
4. Trades Directory: A classified section that allows you to find a specific profession across the whole county (e.g., finding all the "Millers" or "Tailors" in Lincolnshire in 1905).
5. Court of Chancery & Bankruptcy Lists: Essential for understanding the financial climate and legal proceedings of the era.

Lincolnshire Life in 1905: Context & Curiosities

Using this directory, you can discover the vibrant life of the county during the height of the industrial agricultural revolution.

• The Industrial Powerhouse: By 1905, Lincoln was renowned as a centre of engineering. You will find entries for the giants of industry that would eventually go on to build the tanks of the First World War, including William Foster & Co. and Ruston, Proctor & Co.
• Agriculture & The Land: Lincolnshire was the breadbasket of England. The directory is filled with agents for seed merchants, drainage experts, and the farmers who worked the rich arable land.
• Famous Connections & Residents: While browsing, keep an eye out for the residences of the county's elite. The directory lists the local gentry and members of parliament who shaped the region.
  • Sir Joseph Pease, a notable industrialist and liberal politician, often had connections and land holdings in the area.
  • The county has always been the home of military figures; look for retired officers living in the coastal areas.
  • Famous Sons: While Sir Isaac Newton (Woolsthorpe) and poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Somersby) were born in Lincolnshire in earlier centuries, their family names and legacy properties often appear in the entries of their respective local parishes.
• Sport & Leisure: Football was taking the nation by storm. You will find references to local teams such as Lincoln City FC (formed in 1884) and Grimsby Town (the Mariners). Look for the secretaries and groundskeepers listed to see where the local clubs trained.
• The Royal Air Force (Precursors): While the RAF was not formed until 1918, Lincolnshire’s association with flight was beginning. With the expansion of the military, keep an eye out for early balloon sections or territorial army units that would pave the way for the county becoming "Bomber County" in later decades.

Important Note Regarding Maps

Please be aware that original directories often had maps inserted loosely at the back or front. In the case of the 1905 edition, the map was sometimes an optional extra that was removed or lost over the last century.

• Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the presence of the original county map in this specific scan.
• Bonus: However, if the map is present and visible in the source material we digitized, it will be included as a fantastic bonus to help you navigate the county boundaries as they stood over 100 years ago.

System Requirements: To view this PDF, you will need a PDF reader installed on your computer (Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar). Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.