The Wexford Independent - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885
About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
Originally established in 1769 as the Wexford Journal.
Published every Wednesday and Saturday, at 96 Main Street North, Wexford. Yearly Subscription, £1 12s., Stamped; Unstamped £1 8s., paid in advance.
The Wexford Independent commands the most naturally favoured and prosperous County in Ireland, and circulates, largely in the Towns of Wexford, New Ross, Ferns, Enniscorthy, Gorey, and Taghmon; and in the Counties of Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wicklow. It is Liberal in politics, and a warm advocate of the Social, Literary, Agricultural, and Commercial advancement of Ireland. It has been the decided and uncompromising foe to all sectarian and religious rancour, and the strenuous advocate for the extinction of the jarring elements of party. Amongst the One Hundred and Eight Stamped Newspapers published in the Provinces, previous to the year 1871 the Wexford Independent stood at the head of Ninety-seven of that number, there being only Eleven papers in the four provinces above it in circulation, thus rendering it one of the best advertising sheets in the kingdoM. The Nobility and Gentry, the Agricultural and Commercial Classes of the several Counties through which it circulates, bestow upon The Wexford Independent a large measure of patronage. As a well-established Family Newspaper, and for the fullness and accuracy of its reports of all local occurrences, it enjoys a high reputation.
Search for a copy of Bassett’s Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885