Did you know?
Most of our featured Scottish Post Office directories contain information beyond the many alphabetical lists and internal directories.
This could be general information — like taxes, calendars or charges for phone calls.
It might also include local statistics, news or historical and descriptive texts.
The rise of telephones
Phone numbers began to appear in directories in the 1880s, being only three digits long.
More about telephones >Commercial photography begins
Directories are great for tracing the early developments of commercial photography through adverts for photographic studios.
More about photography >Local statistics, events and fairs
Find out more about historic local events or the dates when markets were being held.
More about local information >Census records and population tables
Directories can help you track the increase or decrease of populations in certain areas.
More about census and population >Customs and duties payable
Discover the petty custom payable for a pint of honey or the shore-dues for a ton of salmon.
More about duties and taxes >The development of dentistry
The 19th century saw a rapid increase in adverts for artificial teeth and, maybe more importantly, painless dentistry.
More about dentistry >Sun, moon, tides and weather
Directories interlink the phases of the sun and moon with tides, annual calendars and weather forecasts.
More about tides and weather >Eminent Scots
Follow the trails of eminent Scots such as Adam Smith, Sir Walter Scott, and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
More about eminent Scots >Dundee's whale fishing industry
Dundee directories are great witnesses of the town's history of whale fishing and the vast industry that came with it.
More about Dundee whaling >Ships and shipping
Scotland's directories contain a vast amount of information on ships, shipping lists and the country's shipbuilding industry.
More about ships and shipping >Broomielaw porters' fees
Wondering what you'd have paid for porters' services at Glasgow's Broomielaw quay in 1835? Start with the Post Office directory.
More about Broomielaw porters >