Does anyone know if there is any significance in the list of people in the street section of the Kelly's directories, where only their surname is listed followed by a long dash. Straight away the answer might come back that the given name of the householder was not readable, so was replaced by a dash when the directory was compiled. I have looked at an article regarding Kelly's directory history: https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/what-are-trade-directories/
I raise the question after having read how the data was collected.
My own personal example is regarding the address of 35 Thorp Road, Sheffield 2. My grand parents and parents were both living there according to the Burgess rolls of Sheffield from 1951. My father's address is given on my his marriage certificate (29 March 1951) as 4 Queens Rd. The previous tenant/owner Ada HOPKINSON dies and is buried in February 1951:
HOPKINSON, Ada (Widow, age 74).
Died at 35 Thorp Road; Buried on February 14, 1951 in Unconsecrated ground;
Grave Number 6303, Section K of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: ~. Remarks: ~.
Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No ~
The 1951 Kelly's directory of Sheffield lists for the address of 35 Thorp Road: WARD ----
It aroused my curiosity as to the reason why the given name was absent, and perhaps when asked by a canvasser a next door neighbour had submitted their limited knowledge regarding the person who had recently moved in next door but who was not at home at the time of the canvasser's visit.
My late father once told me that the person listed in the street section would be the one who paid the rent. It could well be that people would know the names of their neighbours, but might not know which one of them had their name on the rent book, even if they had been living there a while.