Kelly's Directory Of Ealing Acton Hanwell Brentford Gunnersbury & Chiswick 1911

Kelly's Directory of Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Brentford, Gunnersbury & Chiswick 1911 (Digital Download or CD-ROM)

Product Description:

Step back into the late Edwardian era with this exact digital reproduction of Kelly's Directory of Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Brentford, Gunnersbury & Chiswick 1911. An essential resource for genealogists, local historians, and house historians, this directory provides a fascinating snapshot of West London life just three years before the outbreak of World War I.

Format & Usability: This product is available as an instant digital download or on a physical CD-ROM. Please note that the directory consists of high-resolution scanned images of the original book, meaning it is not natively text-searchable in the traditional sense. However, because Kelly's directories are meticulously organized alphabetically by surname and trade, navigating to your ancestors is incredibly quick and easy. Furthermore, if you are using a modern PDF reader (such as Adobe Acrobat), the software will perform "OCR on the fly"—meaning you can still use the search function (Ctrl+F) to locate specific surnames, street names, or trades!

Bridging the Census Gap: The 1911 Census is a marvel, but it leaves a massive 10-year gap before the next available census in 1921. This 1911 directory is the perfect bridge for that gap. Because it was published in the same year as the census, you can use it to cross-reference addresses, find the exact occupations of your ancestors, and see who their neighbors were, adding rich context to your bare census data.

What's Inside (Directory Sections):

• Street Directory: A comprehensive house-by-house listing of principal streets, ideal for tracing the history of a specific property.
• Commercial & Trades Directory: Find out what your ancestors did for a living. From blacksmiths to boot makers, this section lists every business and tradesperson in the boroughs.
• Private Residents (Alphabetical): The goldmine for genealogists. An A-Z list of the private, professional, and gentry classes residing in the area, along with their home addresses.
• Official & Municipal Information: Details of local councils, magistrates, police, charities, hospitals, and church officials.

A Glimpse into 1911 West London: Local Facts & Famous Faces: The areas covered in this directory were undergoing massive transformations in 1911, shifting from leafy Middlesex villages to bustling London suburbs:

• Ealing: Known as the "Queen of the Suburbs." In 1911, pioneering film producer Will Barker was actively working at Ealing Studios, planting the seeds for what would become the most famous film studio in Britain.
• Acton: In 1911, Acton was famed as the "Laundry Capital of London," boasting a massive industry that employed thousands of local women. It was also heavily industrialized, with the world-renowned Accles & Pollock tube works operating in the area.
• Brentford: A thriving industrial and market town. 1911 was a golden era for Brentford FC (The Bees), who were drawing large crowds to their Griffin Park stadium (opened in 1904). It was also the home of the historic Fuller’s Brewery, a major local employer. Interestingly, a young Charlie Chaplin toured the Brentford Empire Theatre this very year!
• Chiswick & Gunnersbury: Gunnersbury Park and its grand mansion were owned by the wealthy Rothschild family in 1911. Chiswick retained a more genteel, riverside character, famous for its boat-building heritage, rowing clubs, and the historic Chiswick House grounds. The famous artist William Hogarth's historic connection to the area was heavily celebrated by local residents during this era.

Map Disclaimer: Please note: Because this directory has been scanned from a physical original that is over a century old, some of the delicate fold-out maps may have been missing, torn, or too damaged to include in the original binding. However, if the historical map is present in this specific edition, please consider it a fantastic bonus addition to your local history research!

Unlock the secrets of your West London ancestors today with this invaluable historical record.