Trade Directories

There were several firms who published trade directories for business and Post Office use. These eventually developed into our modern telephone directories.

Arranged by county, sometimes with more than one county to a volume, they generally gave a short description of the place, details of the basic services available, then the names of the prominent private residents, followed by the commercial businesses. Some businesses also took out an advert, which were usually separate at the rear of the book. Kellys Directory is the best known; the editions are sporadic, but seem to settle into every three to four years by the end of the 19th century.

Woburn Sands can sometimes be found under Wavendon in early editions and once separate, it moves between Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire! The earliest I have found specifically for Woburn Sands is 1847 and the latest 1939. Originals can be found in larger libraries and county archives.

Please Note: Wherever possible, all names have been altered to “FIRSTNAME SURNAME” rather than “SURNAME, FIRSTNAME” to make searching the text easier.

The entries can be seen by clicking the links below:

Directory: Area covered:
Kellys 1839 "Woburn, with the Villages of Aspley Guise, Husborn Crawley, Milton Bryant, and Ridgmont" [Covers some Woburn Sands businesses]
Kellys 1847 "Wavendon, with the Hamlet of Hogsty End, or Woburn Sands"
Slaters 1852 "Woburn, with the Villages of Aspley Guise, Husborn Crawley, Milton Bryant, Ridgmont and Neighbourhoods" [Covers some Woburn Sands businesses]
Musson & Craven 1853 "Wavendon" and "Aspley Guise" [Both cover some of Woburn Sands]
Kellys 1854 "Wavendon, with the Hamlet of Woburn Sands" and Aspley Guise
Cassey 1862 Aspley Guise
Dutton Allen & Co. 1863 Wavendon (includes Woburn Sands)
Cravens 1863 Aspley Guise [Covers some Woburn Sands businesses]
Kellys 1864 "Wavendon, with the Hamlet of Woburn Sands"
Melvilles 1867 Woburn [Covers some Woburn Sands businesses]
Kellys 1869 Wavendon and Woburn Sands
Mercers & Crockers 1871 Wavendon and Woburn Sands
Harrods 1876 Woburn Sands and Aspley Guise
Kellys 1877 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1885 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1890 "Woburn Sands, Aspley Heath and Aspley Guise"
Kellys 1894 Woburn Sands and Aspley Heath
Kellys 1898 "Woburn Sands, Aspley Heath and Aspley Guise"
Kellys 1903 "Woburn Sands, Aspley Heath and Aspley Guise"
Kellys 1906 Woburn Sands and Aspley Heath
GPO Telephones 1907 Woburn Sands
Forbes Oldham 1908 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1910 "Woburn Sands, Aspley Heath and Aspley Guise"
Kellys 1914 "Woburn Sands, Aspley Heath and Aspley Guise"
Kellys 1920 Woburn Sands and Aspley Heath
Kellys 1924 Woburn Sands
Telephones 1925 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1928 Woburn Sands
Macdonalds 1930 "Woburn Sands, including Aspley Guise, Aspley Heath, Eversholt, Husborne Crawley, Ridgmont, Tingrith, Woburn & co."
Kellys 1931 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1935 Woburn Sands
Kellys 1936 Aspley Heath
Kellys 1939 Woburn Sands
Macdonalds 1939 "Woburn Sands, including Aspley Guise, Aspley Heath, Eversholt, Husborne Crawley, Ridgmont, Tingrith, Woburn & co."
Kellys 1940 Aspley Heath
Commercial 1964 Woburn Sands entries

 

Page last updated Aug. 2021.