When I started doing genealogy online I didn't expect to find so much of interest. As far as I knew my ancestors were farmers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I have ancestors with a variety of interesting occupations. There are carpenters, goldsmiths, wrights, steamfitters, pub owners, tailors ... the list goes on.
Before there was internet and 411 apps we used to look up a business in the yellow pages. If you lived in a big city the yellow pages had a separate book, and a fat heavy one at that. But the idea of the yellow pages goes way back. I found a book by J M Cowper in which he compiled "a list of Intrants" - a list of persons permitted to trade in the city of Canterbury from 1392-1592. Another I found was a London merchant directory from 1677.
Every merchant may not necessarily be listed. Besides city, state or country merchant and business directories, often a trade would have it's own directories or lists.
Even if your ancestor was not a merchant in town, the directories will tell you the kinds of businesses there were, giving the probable main employment for the population, plus the train and shipping schedules, perhaps what their neighbours did, etc.
At Internet Archives search using keywords: [trade] + directory, + list, + merchants, etc
Relevant Links:
Directory of the hat, cap and fur trades, United States and Canada - 1880
An alphabetical list of merchants, traders and housekeepers residing in Montreal 1820
Intrants: A list of persons admitted to live and trade within the city of Canterbury, on payment of an annual fine, from 1392-1592
The Little London directory of 1677 ; list of merchants and bankers
The Roll of Freemen of the city of Canterbury from AD 1392-1800
The lumberman's directory and reference book of the United States and Canada - 1891
Irish Flax Growers - 1796
The Irish linen trade hand-book and directory - 1876
Guinness Brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin from 1759 to present (Employee records)
Kelly's Directory of the Leather Trades - UK 1880
Collegium - International Society of Leather Trade Chemists
American carriage and wagon and accessory trades directory : including manufacturers and dealers in automobiles - 1903
Edinburgh and South of Scotland Trades' Directory - 1900
Fogerty's directory of the jewelry and kindred trades in the United States - 1877
Pacific Coast Trade Directory - United States and Canada - 1880
Delmar's new, revised and complete classified trades directory and mercantile manual of Mexico, Central America and the West India Islands - 1889
American Book Trade directory - 1912
Phillips' paper trade directory of the World - 1923
Illustrated directory of Kansas oil Men - 1918
The Grocers' hand-book and directory - 1883
Directory of Food & Fur Breeders of America - 1919
The Canada Trade Directory - 1851
The White Directory of manufacturers of furniture and kindred goods of the United States, British Provinces, and Mexico 1901
List of notaries whose notarial records are deposited in the archives of Montreal 1847
The law list; being a list of the judges and officers of the courts of justice: UK 1841
A list of the wardens, assistants and livery, of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths 1907
National Confectioners' Association; Souvenir of the Hub - 1894
Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland (various)
The Canadian legal directory ; a guide to the Bench and Bar of the Dominion 1878
Men-at-the-bar; A biographical list, Members of Various Inns of Court; UK 1885
Lovell's Canadian Commercial Compendium (Law) 1909
Commercial Directory of Manila 1901
Commercial Directory of Latin America - 1892
Fowler's Paisley commercial directory 1839
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners; 1860-1910
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners Report w/members 1907
Plumbers, gas and steam fitters journal of United States and Canada - Jan 1919
The old merchants of New York City (several volumes)
Biographies of successful Philadelphia merchants 1864
The Edinburgh and Leith Directory to July 1800; private gentlemen, merchants, traders
Jones Merchant and Trader Directory of Glasgow 1789
New York City Record - Government Employees name, position and salary - 1886
Polk's Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory - 1863 +
A list of early American Silversmiths and their marks - 1917
Canada Post Offices, with the names of the Postmasters - 1871-1872
USA Post Offices, with names of Postmasters
List of originators of fruits and vegetables in the US: with addresses and names of specialties - 1891
The Bankers' Directory and list of bank attorneys: USA (1879,1891,1916)
Leading Insurance men of the British Empire 1892
The Lawyer List (International) - several years 1900's
The Haciendas of Mexico : a list of plantations and principal farms in the Republic of Mexico together with the names and post office addressees of their owners 1886
A list of the names of the members of the United Company of Merchants of England, trading to the East-Indies, who appear qualified to vote at their general courts - 1815
The Quebec directory for 1822 : containing an alphabetical list of themerchants, traders and house keepers, &c. within the city
Paper Mill Directory of the World 1883
Paper Mill Directory of England, Scotland and Ireland 1871
Chemical Directory - list of Chemists and Druggists in England and Wales 1852
Heaton's Commercial Handbook of Canada
Cotton Spinners & Manufacturers' Directory, Lancashire1891
Official American textile directory, various
Another treasure trove of primary sources!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz.
DeleteWow, this post is a yellow pages of yellow pates. What a great resource!
ReplyDeleteHaha I guess it is!
DeleteThanks for visiting.
echoing what has been said, great resource - TY for all the work! ~ Sharon
ReplyDeleteDirectories of any kind are great at filling in the gaps in our ancestors' lives or just adding context to them. What a great pages of links! I've bookmarked it to come back to when I have a bit more time.
ReplyDeleteSue (kindredpast.com)
There may be more under the separate trades or occupations, using the labels on the right.
Delete