Trade directories were published from the late 18th century onwards and list the tradesmen and more wealthy inhabitants of each settlement. Durham County Record Office holds directories for 1827, 1828, 1829, 1834, 1848, 1851, 1855, 1865, 1879, 1890, 1902, 1910, 1914, 1921, 1925, 1929, 1934 and 1938 for the county. It also holds directories, including a street index, for Durham City for 1846-1915, 1931-1937, 1939 and 1951-1953.
You will find some additional information about directories on The Learning Zone.
You will find further details of our holdings of directories by searching our database.
Historical Directories is an online digital library where you will find digitised images of 12 County Durham directories.
On the website The Vision of Britain you will find the full text of three 19th century gazetteers: John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales (1872); Frances Groome, The Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1885); John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887).
