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Phone Books on Ancestry

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Martin

Martin Report 10 Oct 2006 16:50

Some of the earlier ones cover the rest of the country but it is a bit hit and miss. I have only found Bolton in one directory (1896 I think) but seen places in North Wales and Liverpool in others so Bolton could perhaps be there but just not found. Don't forget that not many people had telephones until comparitively recent times. 1896 Bolton has about 400 entries and most of those are businesses - I extracted the pages so I could print a copy. Some of the terms and conditions in the front of the early directories are quite amusing. Subscribers were instructed that must answer calls as soon as possible! MB

Researching:
BRISCOE POUNDER BOLTON STOKESLEY MIDDLETON_TYAS KIRKBYMOORSIDE LAVERTON KIRKBY_MALZEARD GREWELTHORPE GRANTLEY BRYNREFAIL DEINIOLEN TALYSARN TREALAW LLANFIHANGEL_BRYN_PABUAN MAESMYNIS

Uncle John

Uncle John Report 10 Oct 2006 15:50

It's worth mentioning that the geographical spread of the modern Outer London directories goes into the adjacent areas as well. For instance the St. Albans directory has Luton numbers in it. J

Joanne

Joanne Report 10 Oct 2006 00:39

This doesn't seem to have been mentioned but I don't know how long the feature has been available but Ancestry have got uk phone books online now. From Ancestry.co.uk: 'This collection contains British phone books published between 1880, the year after the public telephone service was introduced to the UK, and 1984, from the historic phone book collection held by BT Archives. Currently the database contains 430 phone books covering London and large parts of Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, and Surrey.' More information on the site. Jo

Joanne

Joanne Report 10 Oct 2006 00:39

See below: