The local studies section in the Central Library (Halifax) has a large number of trade directories.
- These list trades people, services and names of residents.
- They also hold a vast amount of information on the history, public bodies and major features of each community.
Online resources
- Weaver to Web: online visual archive of Calderdale history
Sections of many directories are now on this website, which was made with the support of the Big Lottery Fund.
- Historical Directories
This website is a library of local and trade directories for England and Wales. It covers 1750 to 1919 and a number of them are for this area.
Printed resources 1781 -1897
In the Central Reference Library, you can find:
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 1781 | BAILEY: Northern Directory |
| 1806 | HARGROVE: Yorkshire Gazetteer |
| 1809-11 | HOLDEN: Triennial Directory |
| 1816-17 | Commercial Directory |
| 1818-20 | PIGOT: Commercial Directory |
| 1822 | BAINES: History, Directory etc of County of York |
| 1822-3 | BAINES: History etc. County of York (2 Vols) |
| 1828-9 | PIGOT: National Directory (2 Vols) |
| 1830 | PARSON and WHITE: Directory of Leeds and Clothing District |
| 1834 | PIGOT: National Commercial Directory |
| 1837-8 | WHITE: History and Directory – West Riding |
| 1840-41 | ROBSON: Commercial Directory (2 Vols) |
| 1842 | PIGOT: Yorkshire Directory |
| 1842 | WHITE: Directory of Clothing District |
| 1843 | WHITE: Directory of Clothing District (microfilm also available) |
| 1845 | IBBETSON: Directory of Bradford |
| 1845 | WALKER: Directory of Parish of Halifax (microfilm also available) |
| 1847 | WHITE: Directory of Clothing Districts (CD ROM also available) |
| 1848 | SLATER |
| 1850 | Directory of Halifax, Huddersfield, Holmfirth etc. |
| 1850 | IBBETSON: Directory of Bradford |
| 1852 | WHITE: Sheffield Directory |
| 1853 | WHITE: Directory of Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield |
| 1856 | LUND: Bradford Directory |
| 1858 | WHITE: Directory of Leeds and Halifax |
| 1861 | KELLY: Post Office Directory of West Riding |
| 1863 | JONES: Mercantile Directory of Bradford |
| 1863-4 | JONES: Mercantile Directory of Halifax (microfilm also available) |
| 1866 | STEPHENSON: Halifax municipal. Borough Directory |
| 1866 | WHITE: Directory of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax |
| 1867 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding (also on CDROM) |
| 1871 | KELLY: Post Office Directory of West Riding |
| 1872 | SMITH: Directory of Bradford and neighbourhood. |
| 1874 | SMITH: Directory of Halifax and District (microfilm also available) |
| 1875 | SLATER: Directory of Yorkshire |
| 1877 | KELLY: Post Office Directory of West Riding (Calderdale sections only) |
| 1878 | SMITH: Directory of Dewsbury |
| 1881 | KELLY: Directory of Halifax |
| 1881 | KELLY: Directory of Sheffield |
| 1881 | WHITE: General Commercial Directory. Vol.2. Halifax, Huddersfield (microfilm also available) |
| 1887 | SLATER: Royal National Commercial Directory |
| 1889 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1889 | KELLY: Directory of Sheffield and Rotherham |
| 1890 | MITCHELL: Halifax Street Guide and Directory |
| 1893 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1894 | WHITE: Halifax and District Directory |
| 1897 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
1903 - present
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 1903 | Halifax, Huddersfield and District Trades Directory |
| 1904-5 | Halifax, Huddersfield and District Trades Directory |
| 1905-6 | ROBINSON: Halifax and District Directory |
| 1906-7 | Halifax, Huddersfield and District Trades Directory |
| 1908 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1912 | KELLY: Directory of Bradford and Suburbs |
| 1915 | WADSWORTH: Halifax:A commercial and Industrial Centre |
| 1917 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1922 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1919, 1919-1920, 1922-3, 1923-4, | Halifax, Huddersfield and District Trades Directory |
| 1924-5, 1925-6, 1926-7, 1929-30, 1931-32 | Halifax, Huddersfield and District Trades Directory |
| 1927 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1928 | KELLY: Directory of the Textile Industries in England, Scotland and Wales |
| 1928 | Halifax: Commercially considered |
| 1927,1928, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1935 | Huddersfield, Halifax and District Buyers Guide |
| c1935 | AUBREY: Directory of Yorkshire |
| 1935 (December) | Classified Telephone Directory: West and East Yorkshire |
| 1936 | KELLY: Directory of West Riding |
| 1937-82 | Halifax Telephone directories (incomplete) |
| 1939-40 | Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield Trade Directory |
| 1947 | KELLY: Directory of Merchants, manufacturers and shippers |
| 1949 (January) | Classified Telephone Directory: Leeds, Bradford and York areas |
| 1951 (October) | Classified Telephone Directory: Leeds, Bradford and York areas |
| 1952-3 | BARRETT: Halifax County Borough Directory |
| 1956-7 | Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield Trade Directory |
| 1960, 1964, 1966 | BARRETT: Halifax County Borough Directories |
| 1960-61 | Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield Trade Directory |
| 1971-72 | Trades Directory(Classified) |
| 1980s to present | Various telephone and trade directories |