Analysis of Trade Directories - Case Study Example

Analysis of trade directories The purpose of this essay is to analyse the trade directories of Briggs and Scunthorpe and compare them to each other. Considering the example of the medical practitioners residing in a locality, the paper discusses the medical professions that are prevalent in the two areas of interest. Also, the paper concentrates on the other things that are mentioned in the directories especially the use of the directories as historical sources, their strengths and weaknesses. Further, the paper discusses the differences of the trade directories of two counties namely Ashby and Fordingham with those of Scunthorpe and Briggs. Thesis Statement and Research Methodology In this essay my prime focus would be on the analysis of the trade directories of two regions Brigg and Scunthorpe, concentrating more on the medical professions and practitioners based in these areas. For the purpose of research I have basically made use of the trade directories of the regions Brigg and Scunthorpe and analysed them. It is important to discuss both the directories in detail in order to understand the differences and similarities between the two. Hence the paper now discusses both of the directories in detail. Trade Directory of Brigg In Kelly’s directory of Lincolnshire and Hull the trade directory of Brigg is designed in such a manner that first it briefly describes the geographic location of the region. Stating its exact distances from big cities and areas like London and Lincolnshire, the directory indirectly explains the importance of Brigg. Brigg according to the directory was a fishing hamlet but after extensive trade became a union and market town.1 The directory discusses the history of Brigg briefly stating that it had been controlled by a Local Board since 1864 but towards the end of the 19th century had come under the direct control of the Union Direct Council.2 This was the reason why Brigg was provided gas and ample water reserves. The trade directory for Brigg also focuses on the cathedrals and churches found in the area. There is special mention of St. John’s Cathedral which according to the directory is made from the Gothic Style.3 The directory specifically mentions the costs associated with the building in reconstruction and renovation of the Cathedral. Further, the directory provides the relevant information about the important buildings in the county. For instance it elaborates on the exact location and the design of the police building, and the library. Moreover it mentions that the markets are held every Thursday in the town and the newspaper is called the ‘Lincolnshire Star.’4 It is evident that the trade directory is designed for the people who are unaware of the region of Brigg. This trade directory serves as a small brochure to the people who plan on living in Brigg for a certain amount of time. It is obvious that the trade directory cannot tell everything about a particular town or city. However, this trade directory is precise and can be called complete too. This is because it discusses everything in proper detail for the people wishing to live in the city. The importance given to history in the trade directory can be made use of by the people going through the directory. While making the trade directory, it has been kept in mind that the interaction of the foreigners and the local people would be increased if the foreigners had a little knowledge about the city. Discussing the history makes sense because the history can attract certain investors. The mention of the supplies of water and gas also means that resources may be available for setting up of certain businesses. The Cathedral is mentioned as a landmark of the town. The way it is described is very interesting. Every aspect of the building is discussed from the stone work to the windows of the building. A reason for this description can be the need to attract tourists. For example, the Cathedral may prove to be a magnet for the archaeologists and tourists. The information about the police station and the library in itself tries to help the foreigners who are keen to live in Brigg. The directory also consists of the contacts of the people in the official establishments and local institutions. For instance it provides information on the people working in the Urban City Council, the Court, the pension committee and the Drainage and Navigation centres under the heading of official establishments. Also it provides thorough data about the people working in the public establishments such as the Glanford Brigg union and Registration District. It is interesting to note that the directory mentions schools, conveyances, newspapers and carriers specifically but does not mention the medical related staff explicitly. The medical practitioners are not specifically mentioned under any heading. Some of the doctors are mentioned under the Glanford Brigg Union but not explicitly mentioned. Most of the medical staff mentioned in the directory consists of vaccination officers and medical officers. Out of the nine medical officers reported four were doctors of medicine; two had bachelors of medicine degrees and three were members of the royal college of physicians. Four of the nine mentioned also were a part of the London’s Regional Cancer Program. Four of the nine doctors were working on Cancer Programs, which means that there might be increased risk of cancer in the county. That is an assumption to make but it does make sense because almost half of the doctors were cancer diagnosticians. The mention of a vaccination officer also states that there were different kinds of medical professions in the county. Also one of the medical officers Rigg was an assistant tuberculosis officer. Most of the medical officers were physicians, factory surgeons, tuberculosis officers, public vaccinators and medical officers of health. Overall from the trade directory of Brigg, a general trend of the 19th century can be seen. In the 19th century trade and street directories were compiled because the growth at home was preferred.5 There was emphasis on the listing of different manufacturers and businesses and different resources available. This trend is evident in the trade directory of Briggs because as mentioned earlier, the mention of the Cathedrals and the available resources in the county are critical determinants of the attraction of the foreign businessmen and tourists. The directory of Briggs can also be used as a historical source. In fact it seems that the directory is specifically designed as a historical source. The geographic location, the emphasis on the dimensions and costs of the buildings, the normal customs of the people all relate and add to the history of the region. Through the directory a reader can imagine what the life in Brigg would have been at that time. The lists of the private residents are also a reminder of who lived there. Hence the directory of Brigg has many strengths of a historical source however using the directory as a historical source might not be appropriate. Historical documentation includes a detail record of the historical context and the significance of a certain area.6 Historical sources generally make use of maps, photographs, references, records in order to provide a detailed explanation of the history of an area. Sadly, the directories make use none of the above. Although the directories do use the lists of the private residents, there is less that the directories offer. The brief overview might give an idea to the reader about the area yet it does not provide further explanations. The directory makes no use of any referencing nor does it mention the methods employed in the compilation process. As a result, the appropriateness of the data can be questioned. Since the data does not use any reference it is hard to use it as a historical source. Before the paper contrasts and compares the trade directory of Brigg to that of Scunthorpe, it is important to discuss the trade directory of Scunthorpe in detail. Trade Directory of Scunthorpe and its comparison to Brigg According to the trade directory of Scunthorpe in the Kelly’s directory of Hull and Lincolnshire, Scunthorpe is a parish which is eight miles away from the county district of Brigg.7 The trade directory also reveals a little history of Scunthorpe stating that it was under the Local Board since 1864 until it came under the control of the Union Direct Council.8 This is somewhat similar to what was reported in the trade directory of Brigg. The trade directory of Scunthorpe is very similar to the trade directory of Brigg in many ways. Scunthorpe starts with a brief history of the parish, the same as the directory of Brigg. Then, the directory moves onto discuss the different Cathedrals found in the area. This is also similar to the directory of Brigg. Since both Brigg and Scunthorpe are reported to be parishes, there is an increased mention of the churches present in both. The trade directory of Scunthorpe also talks about the St. John’s Cathedral in a lot of detail. 9Stating explicitly the costs associated with each construction and renovation of the Cathedrals, the directory like that of Brigg tries to attract archaeologists, tourists and religious people. Scunthorpe’s directory also talks about the Welsayen and Methodist Chapels and explains the distinguishable features of each. The directory of Scunthorpe also mentions the new gas works and the improved water supplies. Further, it takes into account the police building and the library. The approach is similar to the directory of Brigg. Although the things mentioned about Scunthorpe are similar to those mentioned in Brigg, there are some differences that are noticeable in the trade directories. While the trade directory of Brigg is well organized and carries a lot of detail, the directory of Scunthorpe has little that attracts the reader. Most of the things that have been mentioned in the directory of Scunthorpe are the same as that of Brigg. After going through both the directories it just seems that little time has been spent on the directory of Scunthorpe. It has the same old format, the same points. There is nothing particular that helps Scunthorpe to ‘stand out’. Plus there is less mention of the merchants and the businesses present in Scunthorpe. A trade directory should consist of the businesses and the companies that are involved in trade in a particular region. There is less mention of businesses in the directory of Scunthorpe. Although this trend is also observable in the directory of Briggs, it is fairly evident in that of Scunthorpe. Now coming to the medical professions found in Scunthorpe. Unlike the trade directory of Brigg, Scunthorpe does not mention explicitly the medical officers and medical practitioners. For the directory of Brigg there was a special section that was about the medical officers. In Scunthorpe’s case however there is no particular mention of the medical staff. After going through the lists of private residents can one find the doctors available in the area. According to the directory, there are two doctors present in Scunthorpe. One reported to be Couldrey James was a factory surgeon and public vaccinator. The other one namely Reid Robert Christie was a physician and a surgeon. Hence there were just two doctors available in Scunthorpe and both were surgeons. Differences with respect to other trade directories The trade directories of Brigg and Scunthorpe are well organized as compared to the directories of Ashby and Fordingham. This is because the directories of Brigg and Scunthorpe provide an overview of the areas after which they mention the people working in various departments and organizations. For example both the trade directories mention headings like the Public services, places of worship, schools etc. This makes the directories easy to comprehend. One can easily find out the whereabouts of the people he/she is looking for once he/she knows the profession. This however is not the case for the trade directories of Ashby and Fordingham. Ashby and Fordingham are the two counties that make up the town Scunthorpe. Since these areas are not that vast in terms of area and the population, they should have more detail, though this may not be the scenario. It seems that as the sizes of the areas decrease, the overviews decrease. As a result, one can comprehend that the trade directory of Brigg is more detailed not because it describes the town well but just because it is a large area. Consequently it can be deduced that the trade directory of Brigg does not provide a very detailed overview of the area. Hence it may not be appropriate to use it as a data source. Conclusion To conclude, the analysis of the trade directories of Brigg and Scunthorpe reveals some points that are common to both directories. Both of the trade directories carry the same trend of the 19th century. Both also mention in the same format the buildings, the chapels and the sources available. All of this is done to attract investors and tourists but it seems that there is a less emphasis on the trade related business. Instead other things are more emphasized. The directory of Briggs seems more precise and complete because it mentions everything clearly however the use of the directory as a historical source is not appropriate because the trade directory does not provide any referencing and relevant details. Nevertheless the directory is far more complete as compared to Scunthorpe. The medical officers for example are mentioned in a separate section which makes it easier for the reader to find. The case is opposite for Scunthorpe. References “Ashby”. (1990). Kelly’s Directory of Hull and Lincolnshire. London.Hull University Press “Briggs”. (1990). Kelly’s Directory of Hull and Lincolnshire. London.Hull University Press “Frodingham”. (1990). Kelly’s Directory of Hull and Lincolnshire. London.Hull University Press “Scunthorpe”. (1990). Kelly’s Directory of Hull and Lincolnshire. London.Hull University Press SHPO. (2010) Available from [Accessed 4 May 2010] Site editor. (2007). History and content of street directories [Internet] Available from [Accessed 3 May 2010] Read More