Trade Directories

Trade directories can be a valuable aid to family historians, helping to fill in the gaps between the censuses.

The University of Leicester has compiled a digital library of high quality reproductions of local and trade directories for England and Wales for the period 1750 – 1919.

Baines Directory of Lancashire 1825

The following is an extract from the description of Newton, followed by the Houghtons who are listed:

“Newton-in-Makerfield is a small borough town and chapelry in the parish of Winwick, and in the hundred of West Derby; 5 miles north of Warrington, and 7 miles south of Wigan. This borough contains 275 houses, occupied by 289 families, consisting of 1,643 persons. Of these families 55 are employed chiefly in agriculture, 221 in trade, manufactures, or handicrafts and the remaining 13 are either engaged in professional pursuits or unemployed”

Corn Dealers and Millers:

HOUGHTON, Thomas (and maltster)

Farmers:

HOUGHTON M & E; Wagry Moss

Miscellaneous:

HOUGHTON, George, Chapel Clerk

Slater’s Commercial Directory of Lancashire 1851

This edition describes the townships of Newton and Widnes as follows:

1. Newton and Ashton-in-Mackerfield, with the villages of Winwick, Lowton, Golborne and neighbourhoods.

“Newton-in-Mackerfield, a market town and chapelry, formerley in the parish of Winwick, but erected into a distinct parish, under the provisions of an act of parliament obtained in 1845, is in the hundred of West Derby” … “The church of Saint Peter was erected in 1682” … “The new parish church [Emmanuel], built in 1842, and situated near Wargrave moss is a neat structure” … “The independents have a chapel” … “Population of the parish in 1841; 3,139”

2. Farnworth, with the townships of Widness and Appleton, Cronton, Rainhill and neighbourhoods.

“Widness and Appleton is a joint township, in the parish of Prescot, a short distance south of Farnworth” … ” The population of the joint township in 1841; 2,209″

Page	Place	Type	Name	Address
	Accrington
13		Joiners, Builders and Timber Dealers	Thomas HOUGHTON	Oswaldtwistle
	Bury
67		Butchers	James HOUGHTON	10 Spring Street
71		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	Thomas HOUGHTON	Croston Lane
	Chorley
78		Nobility, Gentry and Clergy	Miss Ann HOUGHTON	Chapel Street
79		Booksellers, Stationers, Printers and News Agents	George HOUGHTON (and music and musical instrument seller)	Market Street
80		Fire and Office Agents	George HOUGHTON (Royal Liverpool)	Market Street
80		Iron and Brass Founders	John & Thomas HOUGHTON (and engineers)	Phoenix Foundry, Railway Station
82		Registrars	George HOUGHTON (Registrar of Marriages)	Market Street
			George HOUGHTON (Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Chorley District)	Market Street
		Stamp Office	George HOUGHTON (distributer)	Market Street
	Clitheroe
87		Boot and Shoe Makers	James HOUGHTON	Downham
	Darwen
99		Retailers of Beer	Emanuel HOUGHTON	Bolton Street
	Denton
103		Wheelwrights	Joseph HOUGHTON	Openshaw
	Farnworth
112		Gentry & Clergy	Mr Richard HOUGHTON	Cronton
			Mr William HOUGHTON	Farnworth
112		Boot and Shoe Makers	Isaac HOUGHTON	Cronton
			William HOUGHTON	Cronton
112		Inns & Public Houses	Ann HOUGHTON (Black Horse)	Widness
113		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	Henry HOUGHTON	Rainhill
			James HOUGHTON	Appleton
			Thomas HOUGHTON	Farnworth
113		Tailors	Thomas HOUGHTON	Appleton
113		Tool Manufacturers	James HOUGHTON	Cronton
113		Miscellaneous	James HOUGHTON (Bricklayer)	Cronton
	Horwich
131		Post Office	Peter HOUGHTON (Post master)	Blackrod
		Grocers & Dealers in Sundries	Peter HOUGHTON	Blackrod
132		Miscellaneous	Joseph HOUGHTON (Earthenware Dealer)	Horwich
	Kirkham
133		Manufacturers	William HOUGHTON (sacking and sailcloth)	Freckleton St
134		Watch & Clock Makers	Thomas HOUGHTON	Poulton St
	Liverpool
162		Nobility, Gentry & Clergy	Mrs Esther HOUGHTON	32 Wavertree Rd
			Mr John HOUGHTON	Mill Lane, West Derby
			Mr Joseph HOUGHTON	Sawn Hill Cottages, Edge Lane
			Mrs Mary HOUGHTON	29 Upper Parliament St
			Mr Raymond William HOUGHTON	43 Gt Nelson St
167		Academies & Public Schools	Richard HOUGHTON	16 Huskisson St
171		Attorneys	Thomas HOUGHTON	Ca.es St
182		Butchers	Charles HOUGHTON	51 Standish St
			Jas. HOUGHTON	5 Brow side, Everton
185		Chemists & Druggists	James HOUGHTON	4 Elliott St
189		Comb Maker & Dealers in Ivory & Tortoiseshell	Charles HOUGHTON	17 Silver St
220		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	John HOUGHTON	75 Upper Mann St
224		Spirit Vaults & Spirits Dealers	George H HOUGHTON	Vauxhall Rd
232		Taverns & Public Houses	Old Swan; Joseph HOUGHTON	Old Swan
234			Vine; Joseph HOUGHTON	3 Old Haymarket
235		Retailers of Beer	Elias HOUGHTON	56 Pall Mall
238		Timber Measurers and Brokers	HOUGHTON & Smith	45 Sefton St
			James HOUGHTON	45 Sefton St
		Timber Merchants	HOUGHTON & Smith (Mahogany)	45 Sefton St
			James HOUGHTON (Mahogany)	45 Sefton St
241		Wheelwrights	Joseph HOUGHTON	Much Woolton
242		Wine & Spirit Merchants	HOUGHTON & Little	2 Brooke’s Alley
248		Town Mission Society	Mr John HOUGHTON, Secretary	8 Slater St
249		Government Tax Office (Collectors)	Zechariah B HOUGHTON	70 Grove St
	Lytham
259		Surgeon	Edward HOUGHTON	Wets beach
	Manchester
After page 278, a new section named Classification of Trades begins, starting at page 1
28		Fent & Patch-work Warehouses & Dealers	William HOUGHTON	9 Oak St, Swan St
		Finishers	HOUGHTON & Co	Clowes St, Salford
36		Ironmongers	Thomas HOUGHTON	40 Port St
38		Libraries	Richard HOUGHTON	7 Medlock St, Ardwk
61		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries including also Provision Dealers	Philip HOUGHTON	84 Silver St, Hulme
65		Stationers	Thomas HOUGHTON	14 Broad St, Pendleton
66		Stiffeners	William HOUGHTON	Clowes St, Salford
73		Retailers of Beer	William HOUGHTON	45 Chester St, H.
The section named Classification of Trades ends at page 80; the page numbering continues at page 357
366		Places of Public Worship	Christ Church, Acton Sq, Salford. Clerk: Thomas HOUGHTON	5 New Richmond, Pendleton
384		Carriers by Road and Rail (To Austerlands, from the Old Swan, Shudehill every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)	Edward HOUGHTON
	Newton and Ashton-in-Makerfield
396		Gentry & Clergy	Miss Ellen HOUGHTON	Lowton
	Ormskirk
414		Nobility, Gentry & Clergy	Miss Mary HOUGHTON	Aughton St
			Mrs Mary HOUGHTON	Burscough St
415		Balance Makers for Weighing Gold	James HOUGHTON	Church St
		Milliners and Dress Makers	HOUGHTON & Wignall	Church St
416		Watch & Clock Makers	James HOUGHTON	Church St
	Prescot
424		Watch Balance Makers	Thomas HOUGHTON	New Road
		Miscellaneous	Allen, HOUGHTON & Brother Cotton Manufacturers	Hillock St
	Preston
429		Boot and Shoe Makers	Thomas HOUGHTON	5 London Rd
437		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	Thomas HOUGHTON	25 North St
			Thomas HOUGHTON	7 Ratcliffe St
440		Retailers of Beer	John HOUGHTON	69 London Rd
	St Helens
474		Boot and Shoe Makers	Thomas HOUGHTON	Liverpool rd
475		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	Ann HOUGHTON	Liverpool rd
			Richard HOUGHTON	Westfield St
476		Retailers of Beer	James HOUGHTON	Church St
477		Watch & Clock Makers	Stephen HOUGHTON	57 Church St
	Warrington
497		Boot and Shoe Makers	Thomas HOUGHTON	Winwick St
			William HOUGHTON	Horsemarket St
		Braziers & Tin Plate Workers	Hanlet HOUGHTON	Market gate
		Butchers	John HOUGHTON	Grappenhall
498		Fustian Cutters	Thomas HOUGHTON	Foundry St
499		Ironmongers	Hanlet HOUGHTON	Market gate
501		Stay Makers	Elizabeth HOUGHTON	Fennel St
502		Wire Drawers	John & James HOUGHTON (pinion)	Turner’s Fold
			William HOUGHTON (pinion & round steel)	Silver St
	Wigan
514		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	John HOUGHTON	Billinge
	Cheshire
	Altrincham
524		Nobility, Gentry & Clergy	Mr Henry James HOUGHTON	Hollybank, Bowdon
525		Academies & Schools	William HOUGHTON, Master; (Phoebe Lumsden, Mistress)	National School, Bowdon
	Saddleworth
548		Shopkeepers and Dealers in Groceries and Sundries	Edward HOUGHTON	Austerlands

 

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