Kelly's Directory of Nottinghamshire 1904 - Digital Download & CD Edition

Step back into the heart of the Edwardian Era with this comprehensive guide to Nottinghamshire.

Published in 1904, this directory serves as an invaluable "census substitute," bridging the gap between the 1901 and 1911 censuses. Whether you are tracing your family tree, researching the history of your house, or exploring the social and industrial landscape of early 20th-century Nottinghamshire, this directory is an essential addition to your collection.

Navigation & Search Features

This high-quality reproduction is available as a convenient Digital Download or on a CD.

• Facsimile Images: The directory consists of scanned images of the original pages, preserving the authentic look and typography of the era.
• Easy Navigation: Although the text is not digitally embedded (it is not natively searchable), the directory is meticulously organized alphabetically by town and village, making it incredibly easy to locate specific residents or trades.
• OCR Capabilities: Users with modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat) can utilize the "Recognize Text" (OCR) feature to search the document on the fly, allowing for quick name searches.

What’s Inside?

This extensive volume offers a detailed snapshot of life in Nottinghamshire at the turn of the century. It includes:

1. County Information: A detailed breakdown of the County’s topography, geology, and agriculture. It includes lists of Magistrates, the Deanery, and Seats of the Nobility and Gentry residing in the county.
2. The Court Directory (Private Residents): An alphabetical list of private residents, often including titled individuals, professionals, and the wealthy elite who were the backbone of local society.
3. The Town & Village Directory: Street-by-street and alphabetical listings of private residents and tradespeople for every major town and village, including Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark, Worksop, Retford, and Southwell.
4. The Classified Trades Directory: A fascinating "Yellow Pages" of the time, allowing you to see exactly what industries were thriving. Find your ancestors’ professions—from Lacemakers and Hosiery Finishers to Coal Miners and Iron Founders.
5. Institutions & Organizations: Information on churches, schools, charities, and local government officials, providing context to your ancestors' daily lives.

Historical Context & Famous Residents

1904 was a vibrant time for Nottinghamshire. The county was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, renowned worldwide for its lace production, hosiery, and bicycle manufacturing (with Raleigh based in Nottingham). Simultaneously, the coal mining industry was the lifeblood of the north of the county.

• Famous Births & Residents: Keep an eye out for the Lawrence family in Eastwood. In 1904, a young D.H. Lawrence (born 1885) was still living in the area before his literary fame exploded. You may also find references to the family of Jesse Boot, who transformed his father’s herbal medicine shop into the national retail giant Boots the Chemist during this very period.
• Sport & Leisure: The love of sport was booming. This was the era of Nottingham Forest and Notts County, and the legendary Trent Bridge Cricket Ground was hosting Test matches. You might find local tradesmen who supplied these institutions or players listed in the residential sections.

A Note on Maps

Disclaimer: Please note that in some original archival copies, the county or town maps were removed by previous owners or were fragile. We have endeavored to include all available pages. If maps are present in this specific scanned edition, they are a wonderful bonus, but availability cannot be guaranteed.

Why Buy This Directory?

If you have hit a "brick wall" in your research between the 1891 and 1911 censuses, this directory allows you to confirm an ancestor's residence, discover their occupation, and identify their neighbors. It adds color to the black-and-white facts of birth, marriage, and death certificates.