Using trade directories

What are trade directories?
Trade directories first appeared in the 17th century but they didn’t become commonplace until the 19th century. As might be guessed from their name, trade directories at their most basic were just handbooks containing the names of all the people involved in commerce in a particular place. Trade directories were used by commercial travellers (salesmen) who toured round hoping to sell their goods. When trade directories first started to appear, most were produced locally by independent publishers. By the latter half of the 19th century their production had become dominated by big publishers or companies such as Kelly’s, the Post Office and Pigot who found it easier than the smaller publishers to collect the information.

Advert from an 1860s trade directory for Durham. (Image from Durham University Library).

Image of several trade directories. (Image from Durham University Library.)

Why are trade directories useful?
Historians find the information in trade directories very useful. In addition to providing details about the trade and service industries of the town, most directories also carried information about life in the locality and a brief local history. The directories carried adverts for some shops and services which may not have survived in any other form. Trade directories were also published reasonably frequently so it is possible to use them to fill in gaps between censuses. If you want to find trade directories for your own locality contact your local library or county record office for advice.

Now that you’ve found out a little bit about trade directories, discover what they can tell you about the development of Crook by comparing the entries for 1858 and 1902.

What can we learn from the 1858 trade directory entry?

Extracts from the Post Office Directory for 1858 showing details for Crook. (Image courtesy of Durham University Library, ref L910.3 POS) Click on either image to enlarge.

Take a close look at the trade directory entry for Crook from 1858 (you may want to use the enlarged version) and then try to answer the following questions.

1. Using the information contained in the trade directory entry, fill in the following table.

2. What do your results tell you about the development of Crook up to the 1850s?

3. Do your results back up what you have found out by looking at the Census?

Once you have finished, discover how much Crook changes by looking at the trade directory for 1902.

What can we learn from this 1902 trade directory entry?

Extracts from Kelly’s Directory of 1902 showing details relating to Crook. (Image courtesy of Durham University Library, ref L910.3) Click on either image to enlarge.

Take a close look at the trade directory entry for Crook from 1902 (you may want to use the enlarged version) and then try to answer the following questions.

1. Using the information from the trade directory, complete the following table. Some empty rows have been left at the bottom for you to fill in with examples of trades that did not appear in the earlier directory.

2. What do your results tell you about the development of Crook between 1858 and 1902?

3. Do these results back up what you have found out by looking at the Census?

Now that you have finished looking at all the sources, it is time for you to answer the question we asked at the start of this investigation – How and why did Crook develop in the period 1851-1901? We have provided space on the worksheet for you to record your answer or, if available, why not trying using other forms of presentation software to make your case?