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Find metalworking ancestors
If people in your family worked as blacksmiths, ironmongers or in similar trades, follow Richard Holt’s advice to…
Trade directories are an excellent resource, providing valuable information about communities and the professions of people living within an area. They also include advertisements of businesses and workers. This makes them ideal for tracking down ancestors who worked in specific sectors, such as any form of metal work.
Search trade directories by name
Start at Leicester University’s ‘Historical Directories of England and Wales’ database, which has 689 directories from the 1760s to 1910s. Before diving in, watch this video explaining how to search (www. snipca.com/54217), then visit www. snipca.com/54218. Now search for a name at the top right and press Enter.