|
|
- revealed in Trade Directories
In general, the directories list self-employed people but not their employees: we therefore get no idea of the number of such workers -- for example, agricultural labourers or needle workers.
Pigot's Directory 1821/22
This showed that there were approximately 175 tradesmen spread over 55 different trades in Alcester. these figures, excluding public houses, farmers and needle manufacturers, show that a few tradesmen carried on more than one business, some two or three. Only three of the 173 tradesmen were not shown in the 1830 directory but 41 of these were still trading in 1850.
Some of the most uncommon trades are set out below:-
| Basket makers 2 | Brazier and Tin plate workers 2 | Chairmaker 1 | Coal dealers 5 |
| Coopers 3 | Corn millers 4 | Watch and clock makers 3 | Veterinary surgeon 1 |
| Wine dealer 1 | Fellmonger 1 | Hat manufacturer 1 | Land surveyors 2 |
| Linen and woollen drapers 5 | Maltsters 8 | Tanner 1 | Music teachers 3 |
| Ornamental painter 1 | Rope and twine makers 2 | Pawnbroker 1 | Saddlers and harness makers 3 |
| Sieve maker 1 | Stone mason 1 | Straw hat makers 3 | Tallow chandlers 2 |
| Haircutters and net makers 2 (anyone know what kind of net?) | Millwright 1 (builder and repairer of mills) | ||
| Fire,etc.0ffice agents 2 (Atlas & Norwich Union) | Whitesmiths 2 (worker in tinned metal) | ||
| Currier 1 (dresser of tanned leather) | Wheelwright 1 | ||
West's Directory 1830 - New trades shown:
| Dealer in patent medicines 1 | Organ builder and tuner 1 | Printer 1 | Wool stapler and skinner 1 |
Slater's Directory 1849 - New trades shown:
| Agricultural machinemaker 1 | Hawker 1 | Confectioner 1 | Timber merchant 1 |
| Clog and patten makers 2 (shoe with wooden sole) | |||
White's Directory 1850 - New trades shown:
| Broker 1 | Highway inspector 1 | Horse breaker 1 | Net maker 1 |
| Horse clipper 1 |
White's Directory 1874 - New trades shown:
| Bird and animal preserver 1 | Chimney sweep 1 | Fancy repositories 4 | Fishing tackle 2 |
| Fishmongers and poulterers 2 | Greengrocers and fruiterers 3 | Horse dealer 1 | Inspector of nuisances 1 |
| Laundress 1 | Marine store dealer 1 | Pig killer and slaughterer 1 | Rope spinner 1 |
| Sewing machine agent 1 | Soda water manf. 1 | Taxidermist and picture framer 1 |
Spennell's Directory 1883 - New trades shown
| Baby linen warehouse 1 | Bill Posters 2 | Corset maker 1 | Stationers 3 |
| Engineer andmachinist 1 | Hay and Straw dealers 3 | Hay tiers 2 | Co-operative Society 1 |
| Refreshment House 1 |
Spennell's Directory 1885 - New trades shown:
| Lodging house keeper 1 | Photographer 1 | Sewing machine repairer 1 | Antiquarian 1 |
| Sanitary Inspector 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1896 - New trades shown:
| Dressmaker 1 | Fly Proprietor 1 | Cycle manufacturer 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1908 - New trades shown:
| Florist 1 | Hunt tailor 1 | Breeches 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1916 - New trades shown:
| Pin manufacturer 1 | Coffee Rooms 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1928 - New trades shown:
| Dentist 1 | Fried Fish shop 1 | Jobmaster 1 | Midwife 1 |
| Motor car garage 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1932 - New trades shown
| Jeweller 1 | Metal dealer 1 |
Kelly's Directory 1936 - New trades shown:
| Lady hairdresser 1 | Spring manufacturers 1 |
Number of tradesmen in some trades
| Date | Bakers | Blacksmiths | Boot Mnfr & Repair | Butcher | Needle Mnfr. | Tailor |
| 1821 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| 1830 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| 1849 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| 1850 | 8 | 4 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 1874 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| 1883 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 1885 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| 1896 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| 1900 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1908 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 1916 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1928 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 1936 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | - |
| 1940 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3 | - |
(Editor: The table above shows that all historical records, even trade directories must be viewed with some caution, between 1874and l883 it seems most unlikely that seven needle firms went out of business. From 1874 the number of bakers reduced dramatically; did the new Co-op corner the market? or are confectioners listed separately? These and other questions must be checked in'other sources (where possible, the censuses) Perhaps the directories charged to include particular firms -if so, they cannot be totally reliable for local history purposes
© Alcester & District Local History Society 1991