Kelly's Directory Of Esher Cobham & Neighbourhood 1933 Census Substitute

Kelly's Directory of Esher, Cobham & Neighbourhood 1933 Census Substitute – Digital Download or CD

Product Description

Unlock the history of your ancestors with this invaluable 1933 genealogy resource.

Are you researching your family tree in the Esher, Cobham, or surrounding areas of Surrey? This Kelly's Directory of Esher, Cobham & Neighbourhood 1933 serves as an essential "Census Substitute." With the 1931 Census destroyed by fire during WWII and the 1941 Census cancelled due to the war, trade directories from this era are often the only way to pin down families between the 1921 and 1951 census records.

High-Quality Scans – Searchable & Easy to Navigate

This directory is a faithful reproduction of the original book, digitized as high-quality scanned PDF images. While the text is not embedded (meaning it is not natively searchable by the computer), the directory is laid out alphabetically, making it incredibly easy to locate specific streets and surnames manually.

Tech Tip: Most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader) now feature "OCR on the fly." This means you can often run a search within your reader software, and it will scan the images to find your keywords, combining the authenticity of the original page with modern convenience.

What’s Inside the Directory?

This comprehensive volume offers a fascinating snapshot of life in 1930s Surrey. It is divided into several key sections:

• The Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of private residents, heads of households, and prominent gentry living in the area. This is the gold standard for tracing where your ancestors lived.
• The Commercial Directory: A classified trade directory listing businesses and traders. From bakers and blacksmiths to dressmakers and dentists, see how your ancestors earned a living.
• Street Directory: A detailed street-by-street listing of households (where available for the larger towns), helping you identify neighbours and the specific layout of the town.
• Official Information: Local council officials, magistrates, clergy, and public institution officers.
• Local Topography & History: Historical descriptions of the towns, churches, and landmarks, providing context to the world your ancestors inhabited.

A Glimpse into 1933: The Esher & Cobham Connection

This directory captures the region during a fascinating transition period. In 1933, this part of Surrey was a mix of rural village life and the booming "Stockbroker Belt," home to wealthy London commuters and industrialists.

• The Aviation & Racing Hub: The "Neighbourhood" covered in this directory lies dangerously close to Brooklands in Weybridge. In 1933, Brooklands was the epicentre of British motorsport and aviation. You may find residents listed who worked for Vickers Aviation (where the Wellington bomber was being designed) or Hawker Aircraft.
• Famous Residents & Connections: This area has long been a magnet for the great and good.
  • Sir Barnes Wallis: The famous engineer and inventor of the "Bouncing Bomb" lived in Effingham (just down the road from Cobham) and worked extensively at Vickers nearby during this time.
  • Sir Malcolm Campbell: The legendary land and water speed record holder was a staple of the Brooklands scene, frequently racing and breaking records just miles from these towns.
• Sport & Leisure: The directory details the local clubs and societies, including references to the famous Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, which was already a premier destination for horse racing.
• Music & Culture: While the "Cobham Band" and local choirs are likely listed within the trades or residents, the area’s proximity to London meant it was home to many composers and musicians of the era who sought the quiet of the Surrey hills.

Important Note Regarding Maps

Please note that original directories often had maps pulled out by previous owners or were printed without them for certain editions. While we cannot guarantee that a fold-out map is present in this specific scan, we have priced the product assuming it may not be included. If a map is present in the original book we scanned, consider it a bonus!

Available Formats

• Digital Download: Instant access after purchase. No waiting for shipping.
• CD-ROM: A physical copy sent to you, ideal for archiving or those with slower internet connections.

Start tracing your Surrey ancestry today and fill in the gaps left by the missing census records!