Name index for the directories

The consolidated name index for the directories will be getting a makeover. There's simply no room for any more directories within it as it's currently formatted, so I've worked out a new format....and the good news is it will be much easier to update when further directories are added so I won't be nearly as cross-eyed and cross-tempered! Watch for the new version in February.

It's raining directories!

I've been trying to have a holiday from the computer this month - within reason of course, checking email twice a day and spending no more than half an hour on the computer each time is my idea of cutting right back. Unfortunately now the holiday is officially over and I'm back at work, and I don't think my bosses or clients would appreciate the minimalist approach!

So it's with some trepidation that I've been eyeing the 1931 Kelly's directory that Alison kindly provided to me, trying to psych myself up into converting it to HTML ready for the website. It's not actually converting that page that's the problem, it's incorporating the names into the master name index for the directories that's the time-consuming, eye-crossing and crazy-producing part.

And now I have another three new directories as well as that one to do!

April update

The 1863 directory for Duttons has been transcribed, and the entries incorporated into the consolidated index of directory names.

Some minor things:
* Another bankrupt in the miscellany
* A DIMMOCK, GOODMAN and PRINCE charged with being lazy, more or less, in 1679 on the Crimes page
* Spellings has been updated for Radwell variants
* The link to the online version of the Feet of Fines document from the Buckinghamshire Record Society has been located and corrected

I do have some more things ready to go but I'm expecting a very busy April offline so I'm going to hold those back for the May update just in case I don't find any spare time before then!

Request for Directories

Now that the 1935 directory has been uploaded to the website, I'd been planning to let you know that I'd transcribed all the directories I have access to. So, if you come across any others, please feel free to send me a copy of the Wing entry!

However, before I even had a chance to post that request a message on the Oxfordshire-L Rootsweb mailing list alerted me to the 1863 Dutton Allen & Co directory of Oxf, Berks & Bucks which is available on Google Books. So expect to see that Wing entry sometime soon........

February update

To make up for the fact there wasn't a January update, it's a bumper one this time - I've cleaned up a lot of outstanding filing and added all those snippets to the website:

First up is a good overhaul of the "Commercial Records" page necessitated by the various takeovers and closures in the genealogical publishing industry.

There's been some 17th century action, with new additions to the non-conformist page plus new will extracts for Richard Honor from 1664 and Elizabeth Lathwell from 1663.

Three marriage strays from the Waddesdon parish registers in the early 1800s have been added.

Some new finds on Google Books and the London Gazette have been added to the Miscellany page, the Adams murder page, the strawplaiting and brickmaking pages.

Jumping forward to the 20th century, the 1935 Kellys directory has been added.

And lastly, there's a new graphic greeting you on the front page. This is a vintage postcard from the early 1900s which I thought was eminently suitable for the home page.

Remember you can press Ctrl-F5 in your browser to refresh the home page if it's still showing as December - enjoy!

Fox Hunt

Sometimes names change slightly between directories - for example a first name might be revealed whereas in a previous directory it had an initial only.

However in the 1928 Kellys directory, the 1st whip at Ascott, William Bodington, appear to have suddenly acquired the middle name "Faux" - did he pronounce this Fox perhaps? Looks like this might be an affectation rather than a name he was born with...

December update

There's a new directory as promised this month - the 1928 Kellys directory. This is four years later than the most recent directory I had previously transcribed, so those of you with relatives in Wing prior to WWII will be keen to see this one I'm sure.

Motor omnibus

You'll be delighted to know that by 1928 motor omnibuses now passed through Wing, ready to transport our (relatively recent) ancestors to Leighton Buzzard, Winslow and Aylesbury!

I'm transcribing the 1928 Kelly's directory. Four years earlier the directory made no mention of such exciting conveyances. I assume carriers William BONE and Mrs Julia LOVELL were still doing things the old fashioned way though.

Handy Hints - historical directories

Surviving historical directories generally start from around the 1840s (they're pretty scarce before that point) and stretch on into the 1900s. In the earlier days they obviously weren't needed for either phone number or address purposes, except in the larger towns - in the villages everyone knew where everyone lived! For genealogists today they are a great resource for understanding a village.

From them you'll be able to establish the relative size of the town or village you are interested in, churches and other key places within the village, local transportation, notable events (eg the town being destroyed by fire or ravaged by smallpox) and key residents. Note that not everyone will be included, generally just notable families and tradesmen, and some places are too small to warrant their own entry.

I've transcribed the entries for Wing for all the directories I've been able to get my hands on (further contributions always welcome). If you are looking for someone in particular, there's also a cross-referenced index of names found in those directories, otherwise just browse by year from the home page to get a feel for Wing at any given time.

A fabulous website is www.historicaldirectories.org, where a collection of English and Welsh directories have been scanned and made freely available for viewing (you can also save individual pages to PDF) by the University of Leicester. The original commitment was to have these on the web until October 2007 - there's no word yet as to whether this will be extended, so now would be a good time to research the villages found in your family tree. I've just made some interesting new discoveries, like my cabinet-maker great-great-grandfather also being listed as an auctioneer in Blandford Dorset in 1842.

WINDMILL CLARIDGE

An interesting snippet came my way today. A WINDMILL researcher alerted me to a 1936 obituary reproduced online for John Thomas Windmill CLARIDGE, the son of Thomas Claridge and Ann Windmill (technically John was born in Stewkley rather than Wing but we'll claim him as one of ours) - he ended up a vicar, but was also a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society! Thanks for the tip Linda.

I have just fixed a couple of broken links on the front page - apologies to everyone who tried to access the marriages or burials over the last few days, you should now be able to get to them just fine. I have also converted and uploaded the directory listings (but not the master consolidated name index for the directories yet).