Historical directories are a great resource in which you can chart the growth of your ancestors' businesses and professions over time. They also have some useful descriptions of the services to be found in the principal towns. Whilst directories are not census records and don’t list all people or locations, they often include helpful details about various institutions, officials, professions, clergy and certain trades, along with historical or geographic details of various towns and cities. The directories often have very informative and attractively designed advertisements on businesses in the city and county. Some directories which cover cities and larger towns, may also include street listings, allowing you to see which business and institutions existed on each street. While some local directories have existed since the mid-1700s, it was only in the 19th century that we start to see more detailed directories for Ireland. First published in 1820 and again in 1824, Pigot’s Directory of Ireland was the first comprehensive commercial directory covering all of Ireland.[1] Prior to this, trade directories were regional in their focus.
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Using Pigot’s Directory of Ireland
Organised by Province, and then town, Pigot’s lists all the principal office holders, gentry, professionals, trades, hotels, schools, public institutions, churches, and even pubs for each town in Ireland. Entries are then by town, and it lists all the principal office holders, gentry, professionals, tradesmen, hotels, schools, public institutions, churches, and even pubs for the broad district around that town or city.[2]
The 1824 edition of Pigot’s includes a countrywide alphabetical index to all the clergy, gentry and nobility listed in the entries for individual towns, which is omitted in subsequent issues.
Where to Find Pigot’s Directory of Ireland
Physical copies of the directory can be found in the holdings of the National Library of Ireland.[3] Local editions of the directories, detailing the principal residents and businesses for the major towns in each county, were also published and can be accessed through the local county libraries in Ireland.[4] MyHeritage currently has a number of Irish directories available to search in its database, including Pigot’s directory for 1824 and Slater’s directories for 1846, 1870, 1881 and 1894.
Explore more about the Pigot’s Directory of Ireland
- MyHeritage record collection at MyHeritage
References
- ↑ https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10289/pigots-directory-of-ireland-1824
- ↑ https://www.johngrenham.com/browse/retrieve_text.php?text_contentid=78
- ↑ https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000064706
- ↑ https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/libraries/heritage-and-history/directories-and-almanacs