Whitby & Son's Directory of Bridgwater & Neighbourhood 1883 (Digital Download / CD)

Product Description

Step back into the Victorian era and uncover the lives of your ancestors with this exact digital replica of Whitby & Son's Directory of Bridgwater & Neighbourhood 1883.

This fascinating resource is an essential tool for anyone researching family history in Somerset. As this directory falls precisely between the 1881 and 1891 census returns, it is the perfect way to fill the "ten-year gap" and track the movements of your relatives, verify occupations, and discover their exact address during the mid-Victorian boom.

About This Format

Please note that this product is a high-quality scan of the original book, consisting of digitized images. It is not a text-searchable database in the traditional sense. However, due to the meticulous alphabetical arrangement of the original Victorian publishers, navigation is straightforward.

• Easy Navigation: The directory is organized alphabetically by surname and trade, making it simple to browse through entries.
• Modern Technology: While the file itself is an image scan, most modern PDF readers (such as Adobe Acrobat) now perform "OCR on the fly," allowing you to use the search function (Ctrl+F) to locate names and keywords directly within the viewer.

What’s Inside?

This comprehensive directory offers a detailed snapshot of life in 1883. It contains distinct sections that provide a holistic view of the community:

1. Street Directory: A thorough listing of the streets of Bridgwater, showing the head of household or business trading at each address. Perfect for mapping out exactly where your ancestors lived.
2. Commercial & Trades Directory: An alphabetical list of trades and professions (from Bakers to Wheelwrights), allowing you to visualize the local economy.
3. Private Residents Directory: An alphabetical list of the private gentry, clergy, and residents of the town, often excluding tradesmen unless they are also merchants.
4. Official & Clerical Information: Listings for the Corporation, Magistrates, Public Officials, and the Clergy of the parish churches and non-conformist chapels.
5. Neighbourhood Directory: Covers the surrounding villages and hamlets, including Wembdon, Durleigh, North Petherton, Hamp, and Combwich, ensuring rural ancestors are not overlooked.

Historical Snapshot: Bridgwater in 1883

Bridgwater in 1883 was a bustling market town and port riding the wave of the Industrial Revolution. As you browse these pages, you are walking through a town dominated by:

• Industry: The town was famous for its manufacture of bricks and tiles (the famous "Bath Bricks"), shipbuilding, and the iron foundries that lined the River Parrett.
• The Bridgwater Fair: By this era, the St. Matthew’s Fair was one of the largest in the West Country, famously influencing the lyrics of "The Bristol Lowland" and drawing traders from across the country.
• Famous Connections: Bridgwater is the birthplace of the legendary Admiral Robert Blake (1598). In 1883, his legacy loomed large over the town; a statue commemorating him was unveiled just a few short years after this directory was published.
• Music & Culture: The town boasted a thriving musical scene, with the Bridgwater Philharmonic Society active during this period, and numerous brass bands associated with the local factories and works.

A Note on Maps

Disclaimer: While we have made every effort to reproduce the original book in its entirety, some Victorian directories were originally published without fold-out maps, or maps have been lost/damaged over the last 140 years. We cannot guarantee a map is included in this scan. However, if the original map was present in the source book we scanned, it is included here as a bonus feature!

Product Details

• Publisher: Archive CD Books / Genealogy Supplies
• Year: 1883
• Format: PDF (Digital Download) or CD-ROM (Select option above)
• Compatibility: Readable on any computer, tablet, or phone with a PDF reader.

Bring your family tree to life. Add this vital piece of Bridgwater's history to your cart today!