Kelly's Directory Of Oxford Abingdon Woodstock & Neighbourhood 1960

Kelly's Directory of Oxford, Abingdon, Woodstock & Neighbourhood 1960 - Digital Download or CD-ROM

Product Description:

Step back into the swinging dawn of the 1960s with this meticulously preserved digital republication of Kelly's Directory of Oxford, Abingdon, Woodstock & Neighbourhood 1960.

An essential resource for genealogists, local historians, and house researchers, this directory offers a fascinating snapshot of life in historic Oxfordshire just as the post-war era was giving way to the modern age. Whether you are tracing the movements of your ancestors or researching the history of your home, this directory provides the intricate details that bring the past to life.

Format & Usability

This product is available as a high-quality Digital Download or on CD-ROM.

• Scanned Images: The directory consists of high-resolution scans of the original pages, preserving the authentic look and feel of the 1960s typography.
• Navigation: While the directory is not text-searchable in the traditional sense (no underlying OCR text layer), it is incredibly easy to navigate. The sections are strictly alphabetical and logically arranged, allowing you to flip to specific streets, surnames, or trades with ease.
• Modern Compatibility: Many modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat and browser-based viewers) now offer "OCR on the fly." This means you can often use the search function (Ctrl+F) within the reader to locate names or keywords, making research faster than ever before.

Bridging the Census Gaps

While the 1931 Census was destroyed by fire and the 1941 Census was cancelled due to World War II, directories like this are vital for filling the gaps in family trees. Even though the 1951 Census is available, this 1960 directory is crucial for tracking family movements in the intervening decade, pinpointing exactly where a relative lived and their occupation just before the 1961 Census.

What's Inside: A Section-by-Section Breakdown

This comprehensive volume covers the major towns and the surrounding countryside. The contents typically include:

1. Oxford City & Streets: A detailed street-by-street listing of private residents and commercial businesses. From the high street shops to the quiet residential terraces, you can see who lived next door.
2. Oxford Private Residents: An alphabetical list of the head of households, often distinguishing between "private residents" and tradesmen, useful for determining social status.
3. Oxford Trades & Professional Directory: Classified lists of businesses. Find out who was running the local grocers, who the tailors were, and which firms were building the new housing estates.
4. Official & Municipal Information: Listings for the City Council, magistrates, clergy, and public officials.
5. Abingdon & Woodstock: Dedicated sections for these major market towns, including street directories and private resident lists.
6. Neighbouring Villages: Coverage of smaller local villages such as Bicester, Witney, Kidlington, and Didcot (coverage varies by exact year, but includes the immediate locality).

Local History: Life in 1960

This volume captures a unique moment in Oxfordshire’s history.

• The Motor City: By 1960, Oxford was firmly established as a major industrial hub. The Morris Motors factory at Cowley was in full production, churning out the iconic Morris Oxford (Series III) and the Morris Minor. The directory is filled with the names of engineers, component suppliers, and dealers connected to the automotive industry that defined the city's economy.
• Academic & Cultural Life: The shadow of the University dominates the residential lists, populated by dons, professors, and college fellows.
• Famous Residents: 1960 Oxford was home to literary giants. You may find listings or references to the neighbourhoods of J.R.R. Tolkien, who was living in Headington (76 Sandfield Road) around this time, having recently retired, and C.S. Lewis, who resided at The Kilns in Headington Quarry until his passing in late 1963.
• The Music Scene: While the "Oxford Sound" of Radiohead and Supergrass was decades away, the city in 1960 was alive with traditional jazz and the early sounds of rock and roll. The directory lists the venues and social clubs where the youth of the day gathered.
• Sport: The directory includes listings for local football clubs, including Oxford United (who had just turned professional in 1949 and were making their mark in the Southern League), as well as cricket, rowing, and rugby clubs.

**Map Disclaimer & Bonus

Please Note: In many original directories, the folding maps were removed by previous owners or were too fragile to reproduce. We cannot guarantee that a map is included in this specific scan.

• The Bonus: However, if the original map is present and in good condition, it will be included as a high-resolution scan. This is a fantastic bonus if available, allowing you to see the extent of the town boundaries and the road network as they existed over 60 years ago.

Reconnect with your Oxfordshire roots today!