Find your ancestors in Warwickshire, Coventry, company directories and publications 1908-1966

Discover more about these records

There are over 20,000 pages from several Coventry company directories and employee publication covering the years between 1908-1966. You can search for names and keywords and the browse through each volume. You may find articles on

  • Company activities and history
  • Soldiers from the First World War
  • Birth, marriage, death, and retirement notices
  • Sporting activities and achievements
  • Societies and clubs
  • Accounts of holidays and trips
  • Cartoons and quizzes
  • Awards and presentations
  • Adverts
  • Reviews of cars and other vehicles
  • And much, much more!

Publications included in this collection

The Rudge Record, 1 volume, 1908-1920: 1908-1920

The works magazine of Rudge-Whitworth, Coventry, bicycle and motorcycle manufacturers. The origins of Rudge go back as far as 1869 at Wolverhampton, removing to Coventry some ten years later. These volumes include company history, staff interviews, presentations and long service awards, social events, and incredible coverage of the Rudge staff who served in the Great War.

The Loudspeaker, 15 volumes, 1924-1966: 1924-1961

The works magazine of the Peel-Conner/G.E.C. Telephone Factories, Coventry. Includes biographical studies of staff, sports and social events, appointments and retirements, a Ladies Page, jokes, Children’s Corner, cartoons, organizational reviews, letters, trade adverts, staff weddings etc.

Standard Car Review, 12 volumes, 1931-1950: 1908-1920

The works magazine of Rudge-Whitworth, Coventry, bicycle and motorcycle manufacturers. The origins of Rudge go back as far as 1869 at Wolverhampton, removing to Coventry some ten years later. These volumes include company history, staff interviews, presentations and long service awards, social events, and incredible coverage of the Rudge staff who served in the Great War.

Employees’ Quarterly, 3 volumes, 1918-1934: 1918-1934

The works magazine of Amstrong Siddeley Motors, Coventry. The origins of this firm began as the Siddeley-Deasy Motor Co. Ltd., in 1913, but its namesake, John Davenport Siddeley initially manufactured pneumatic tyres before his first motors at the turn of the century. These incredible volumes cover the tail end of the Great War including a Roll of Honour, trade adverts, company history, staff reviews, social events, excursions and much more.

The Link, 1 volume, 1919-1921: 1919-1921

The works magazine of the Coventry Chain Co. Ltd., founded in 1896 by former watch manufacturer Alick Hill for the cycle and motor trades. These three volumes include Company history, information, news, social events, staff interviews and long service awards.

The Limit, 1 volume, 1918-1920: 1918-1920

The works magazine of White & Poppe, Ltd. White & Poppe were founded in Holbrooks, Coventry in October 1899, as motor engine manufacturers by local Alfred J. White, and the Dane, Peter A. Poppe. The Limit was released in July 1918 for the staff of White & Poppe, and covers staff interviews, long service awards, sports and pastimes, trade adverts, and general items of local interest.

Coventry Directory, 1 volume, 1921-1922

Spennell’s Coventry Business Directory is a fabulous resource covering life and trade in Coventry for 1921/22 – perfectly supporting and complimenting the 1921 Census. This directory provides full Coventry history and statistics, lists city authorities, corporation officials, Coroners, Corporation public baths, Libraries, Police and Fire stations, Guardians, Courts and magistrates, Government offices and departments, Union officials, Registration, places of teaching and education, Doctors and chemists, societies, hospitals, places of religious worship, etc etc., Also listed are all trades, trade adverts, and names and addressed of Coventry and surrounding hamlets of Coventry.