Ancestors lost in the crowd?
New to family history research?
Perhaps these articles on our website may help:
Census 1841 - 1911
Birth, Death and Marriage Registration
The London Gazette
Newspaper archives
Trade Directories
History of Chignall Smealy
St. Nicholas' Church, Chignall Smealy
©John Winfield
Photograph by kind permission of John Winfield,
contributor to the Geograph Project
History of Chignall Smealy >> Inhabitants in 1848 and 1874
White's Directory of Essex 1848 - list of inhabitants
William Baker, Dives Hall
Richard Buttle, maltster, Beremans
John William Drake, Langleys
john Chesson, blacksmith
William Harrington, victualler, Wheat Sheaf
If you wish to trace any of these people on the census returns, the nearest census date for this 1848 directory is the 1851 census. There are a number of commercial providers of census returns. These include:
Note: the directory lists the names in the following order: Surname, First Name. It also abbreviates names. These have been reversed and typed in full to assist research.
My ancestor lived here at this time, but why aren't they listed here? Answer: Not everyone appeared in a trade directory. Please read our Trade Directories article
Post Office Directory of Essex 1874 - list of inhabitants.
William Ellis, parish clerk
Rev. William Gibbens, B.D., rector
Mr. and Mrs. Barker, preparatory school
Josiah Metson, farmer
Frederick Richardson, farmer, Dyers Hall
William Tween grocer, etc.
If you wish to trace any of these people on the census returns, the nearest census date for this 1874 directory is the 1871 census. There are a number of commercial providers of census returns. These include:
Note: the directory lists the names in the following order: Surname, First Name. It also abbreviates names. These have been reversed and typed in full to assist research.
My ancestor lived here at this time, but why aren't they listed here? Answer: Not everyone appeared in a trade directory. Please read our Trade Directories article
Back to History of Chignall Smealy
Are your ancestors from this location? Why not tell us their story. When were they here? Who were they? What they did they do? Where did they go? Have you an interesting story to tell about them?
Go to the home page of the parish, village or town, and follow the 'My Ancestors' link halfway down the page.