Find your ancestors in New South Wales Country Directory, 1895 - 1929

NEW SOUTH WALES COUNTRY DIRECTORY 1895 - 1929

Do you have New South Wales ancestry?

Directories and Almanacs are a valuable resource for local, family and social historians as well as for researchers in other fields of Australian history. They provide you with information on the region that your ancestors lived, as well as information on their occupations and location.

This data set contains five different directories: 1895 (Hall), 1899-1900, 1925, 1926 and 1929. It’s a valuable genealogy resource for anyone exploring their family history or building a family tree.

1895 (Hall)

This edition of Hall's Business, Professional and Pastoral Directory and Gazetteer of New South Wales for 1895 is divided into three major sections.

Sections include: 

  • Country section - information on trades, professional and pastoral professions by town name

  • Agricultural and General Farming section - lists the towns of NSW alphabetically, together with the farmers and graziers and their addresses

  • City and Suburban Business directory - similar to a current day yellow pages. Listing trades alphabetically, together with the person and their address underneath

There is also information on sheep and cattle stations, agricultural shows, dairy factories, legal practitioners, public offices, mining companies and hundreds of pages of advertisements.

1899-1900, 1925, 1926 and 1929 directories

1899-1900

The New South Wales Country Directory 1899-1900 (Hall) is divided into four sections. 

Sections include:

  • Country Towns - information on trades, business and professions by town name

  • Alphaebtical list -  business and professional people by name

  • Pastoral directory - list of owners, name of run, number of stock and postal district

  • Gazetteer - rail, boat, mail and general business information along with two maps

1925, 1926 & 1929:

These years are divided into two sections, the Australian Almanac and NSW directory. They contain invaluable information on places and people, throughout New South Wales and include a large colour map of NSW towns, rail and coach lines and other transport options. 

The Australian Almanac

This section consisting of around 150 pages includes a detailed calendar including 'remarkable' events, sun and moon times, tides, phases of the moon, etc. This section also includes lists of court sessions, government departments, churches, societies and public institutions and schools as well as a detailed postal guide and list of postal towns and times

NSW Directory

The NSW directory contains a list of New South Wales towns over about 500 pages. A valuable resource for those with family in New South Wales at this time. Under each town it shows the distance from Sydney, transport options, climate description, county name, police district and population. This book contains easily accessible lists and information on hundreds of towns and thousands of people involved in different positions and trades across New South Wales. Depending on the size and services of the town the following may also be listed, and include the names and positions of people involved. 

"What information is listed?"

  • Brief description of the town

  • Magistrates

  • Public Service list

  • Banks

  • Schools

  • Medical information

  • Newspapers

  • Societies and clubs

  • Hotels

  • Commercial lists including auctioneers, bakers, blacksmiths, tailars etc. 

  • Shire councilors