Kelly's Directory
Encyclopedia
Kelly's Directory was a trade directory
in the United Kingdom that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local gentry
, landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's Yellow Pages
. Many reference libraries still keep their copies of these directories, which are now an important source for historical research.
The namesake and originator of the directory was Frederic Festus Kelly
. In 1835 or 1836 he became chief inspector of letter-carriers for the inland or general post office, and took over publication of the Post Office London Directory, whose copyright was in private hands despite its semi-official association with the post office, and which Kelly had to purchase from the widow of his predecessor.
He founded Kelly & Co. and he and various family members gradually expanded the company over the next several decades, producing directories for an increasing number of UK counties
and buying out or putting out of business various competing publishers of directories.
Other publications followed, including the Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes (1875) and Merchants, Manufacturers and Shippers (1877). In 1897, Kelly & Co Ltd became Kelly’s Directories Ltd. This name stuck for another 106 years before being renamed Kellysearch in 2003 to reflect its focus away from hard copy directories and towards an Internet based product search engine.
The front cover of a Kelly's Directory sometimes stated "Kelly's Directories Ltd., established 1799", however this was based on the date of issue of the first Post Office London Directory by an earlier inspector of letter carriers several decades before Kelly's involvement with that publication.
. Kellysearch.com was established in Boston in 2004.
Kellysearch.co.uk, not constrained by bookbinding
limits, CD data storage capabilities or publication dates now contains continually updated product and service information on over 2 million companies around the world. There are Kellysearch business units set up to serve specific markets, namely:
It is now in many different languages and in the last few years has introduced a fully searchable online-catalogue
library and product press release
section.
The old editions of the Kelly’s Directories are seen as highly collectable by many and have also become a useful reference tool for people tracing the history of local areas (with the ancient data now available to buy on CD Rom from many entrepreneurial sources for this purpose.) Every edition of the Kelly’s Directory ever published is held in the Guildhall Library in London.
Trade directory
A trade directory is a collection of suppliers and manufacturers. This directory includes the businesses name, address, phone number and contact name of key people within the organization...
in the United Kingdom that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
, landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages refers to a telephone directory of businesses, organized by category, rather than alphabetically by business name and in which advertising is sold. As the name suggests, such directories were originally printed on yellow paper, as opposed to white pages for non-commercial listings...
. Many reference libraries still keep their copies of these directories, which are now an important source for historical research.
The namesake and originator of the directory was Frederic Festus Kelly
Frederic Festus Kelly
Frederic Festus Kelly was a high official in the British Post Office. He was also the founder of Kelly & Co. , which published the Kelly's Directory, a sort of Victorian-era "Yellow Pages" that listed all businesses, tradespeople, local gentry, landowners, charities, and other facilities located...
. In 1835 or 1836 he became chief inspector of letter-carriers for the inland or general post office, and took over publication of the Post Office London Directory, whose copyright was in private hands despite its semi-official association with the post office, and which Kelly had to purchase from the widow of his predecessor.
He founded Kelly & Co. and he and various family members gradually expanded the company over the next several decades, producing directories for an increasing number of UK counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
and buying out or putting out of business various competing publishers of directories.
Other publications followed, including the Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes (1875) and Merchants, Manufacturers and Shippers (1877). In 1897, Kelly & Co Ltd became Kelly’s Directories Ltd. This name stuck for another 106 years before being renamed Kellysearch in 2003 to reflect its focus away from hard copy directories and towards an Internet based product search engine.
The front cover of a Kelly's Directory sometimes stated "Kelly's Directories Ltd., established 1799", however this was based on the date of issue of the first Post Office London Directory by an earlier inspector of letter carriers several decades before Kelly's involvement with that publication.
Kellysearch
Today, Kelly's exists online as Kellysearch, a directory similar to the online Yellow PagesYellow Pages
Yellow Pages refers to a telephone directory of businesses, organized by category, rather than alphabetically by business name and in which advertising is sold. As the name suggests, such directories were originally printed on yellow paper, as opposed to white pages for non-commercial listings...
. Kellysearch.com was established in Boston in 2004.
Kellysearch.co.uk, not constrained by bookbinding
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
limits, CD data storage capabilities or publication dates now contains continually updated product and service information on over 2 million companies around the world. There are Kellysearch business units set up to serve specific markets, namely:
- Kellysearch.com US
- Kellysearch.co.uk UK
- Kellysearch.nl Netherlands
- Kellysearch.co.in- India
- Kellysearch.de - Germany
- KellysearchAsia.com - South East Asia.
It is now in many different languages and in the last few years has introduced a fully searchable online-catalogue
Online Catalog
An online catalog might refer to:* The retail product offerings of an online shopping service* An electronic library catalog...
library and product press release
News release
A press release, news release, media release, press statement or video release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something ostensibly newsworthy...
section.
The old editions of the Kelly’s Directories are seen as highly collectable by many and have also become a useful reference tool for people tracing the history of local areas (with the ancient data now available to buy on CD Rom from many entrepreneurial sources for this purpose.) Every edition of the Kelly’s Directory ever published is held in the Guildhall Library in London.
External links
- The Historical Directories website has extensive online versions of old editions for England and Wales