Kelly's Post Office Directory of London 1959

Available as Instant Digital Download or CD-ROM

Step back into the vibrant, post-war era of London with this exact high-resolution digital reproduction of Kelly's Post Office Directory of London 1959. Whether you are a genealogist tracing your family tree, a local historian, or simply fascinated by the streets of yesteryear, this directory is an invaluable resource for piecing together the lives of Londoners at the end of the 1950s.

Choose your preferred format: receive an instant digital download straight to your device, or order the CD-ROM version delivered directly to your door.

Navigating & Searching the Directory

Please note that this directory consists of high-quality scanned images of the original book and is not inherently text-searchable in its raw file state. However, do not let that deter you! Because of the highly structured, alphabetical nature of Kelly's Directories, locating your ancestors is incredibly straightforward.

Pro-Tip: While the files are image-based, if you open this PDF in a modern reader (such as Adobe Acrobat, Edge, or Chrome), the software will perform OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the fly. This means you can often simply press Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on a Mac), type in a surname, and the modern software will locate the text for you!

Bridging the 1951–1961 Census Gap

One of the most frustrating hurdles for genealogists is the "100-Year Rule." The 1951 census is closed to the public, and the 1961 census will not be released until 2062. Kelly's 1959 Directory acts as the perfect census substitute, providing a detailed snapshot of exactly who lived where, and what they did for a living, right in the middle of this missing decade.

What's Inside: A Breakdown of the Sections

This comprehensive volume is divided into highly useful, easy-to-navigate sections:

• The Street Directory: Lists streets alphabetically within each borough. Under each street, house numbers are given alongside the head of the household or business occupying it.
• The Commercial Directory: An alphabetical list of businesses and tradesmen, perfect for tracking the evolution of family companies.
• The Trades & Professions Directory: Find all the bakers, blacksmiths, tailors, and civil servants in London grouped by their occupation.
• The Private Residents Directory: An A-Z list of the private, affluent citizens of London, their names, and their residential addresses.
• Official & Municipal Information: Details of London County Council, Metropolitan Police, postal information, and local government officials.

London in 1959: A Snapshot in Time

To understand the context of the names in this book, here is what was happening in the capital during the year of publication:

• Famous Residents & Faces: 1959 London was home to a fascinating mix of people. In the East End, notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray were just beginning to establish their firm grip on the underworld. Across town, a young Michael Caine was doing National Service and taking acting classes, while Roger Moore was filming The Saint around the capital. Barbara Windsor was starring in West End theatre, and Cliff Richard was dominating the charts with "Living Doll," frequenting the iconic 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho.
• Music & Culture: 1959 was the cusp of the Swinging Sixties. Soho was the epicenter of the British jazz and skiffle movements. While trad jazz was still hugely popular in clubs like the Flamingo, the seeds of British Rock and Roll were firmly being planted in London's basements and dance halls.
• Sports: The 1958-59 Football League season had just wrapped up, with London clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Arsenal drawing massive crowds. At Wimbledon, the summer of 1959 saw the tennis world captivated by the matches at the All England Club.
• Industry: London was still a major industrial hub. The massive Ford plant in Dagenham was employing tens of thousands, and the docks were still bustling, though they were quietly approaching the end of their golden era as containerization loomed. The aviation industry was booming in places like Brooklands and Hatfield, reflecting the optimistic, forward-looking spirit of the late 1950s.

Important Disclaimer Regarding Maps

Please Note: Original copies of Kelly's directories often had their pull-out maps removed by previous owners over the decades. Because this product is a scan of a physical historical book, some or all of the original maps may be missing from this edition. However, if the maps are present and intact in the source copy we scanned, please consider it a fantastic bonus!

Unlock the doors to your London ancestors' past. Select your preferred format below and start exploring the streets of 1959 today!