By the Victorian period most towns, cities and regions had publications listing all local tradespeople, professionals and public office holders together with details of transport services, newspaper circulations and potted local histories. Directories were produced by commercial publishers who by the later 19th century were attempting a national coverage. Some, such as Kelly and Pigot, went on to become household names. Directories can be very useful in building a picture of industries and employment in particular places and in considering change in the status, role and functions of towns over time. There was a national directory of women in crafts and trades, the Women Workers' Directory published in London in 1909 by Bale and Danielson but for earlier and later years one is forced to rely on mixed directories.
Directories vary a great deal in their accuracy, detail and in the regularity of publication.
Those which concentrate upon particular localities are often more detailed than national publications though some blatantly plagiarised the content of their larger rivals.