Assessing Ghent's City Directories for Socio-Economic Historical Research (1770-1932)

Vincent Ducatteeuw; Christophe Verbruggen

doi:10.52024/d03cmv79

Author(s)

Vincent Ducatteeuw Ghent University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4493-6268
Christophe Verbruggen Ghent University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0849-6365

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52024/d03cmv79

Keywords:

city directories, urban history, economic history, 19th century, 20th century, urban socio-economic data

Abstract

City directories emerged as vital repositories of trade and residential data in late eighteenth-century Europe. This paper examines the Wegwijzer der stad Gent (1770-1932), Ghent’s principal city directory, evaluating its reliability as a historical source for socio-economic data. Despite its apparent research value, the directory’s scope and accuracy remain understudied. Through a systematic analysis of its publication history, compilation methods, and evolving content, coupled with cross-referencing against contemporary sources, this paper reveals both the potential and inherent limitations of the Wegwijzer for urban socio-economic research.

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Author Biographies

Vincent Ducatteeuw, Ghent University

Vincent Ducatteeuw holds Master’s degrees in History and Education from Ghent University. In 2020, he joined Ghent Centre for Digital Humanities as a research collaborator, specializing in digitization and data analysis. He was involved in two public history initiatives: the development of Cinema Belgica (https://www.cinemabelgica.be/), an open-access data platform for cinema history in Belgium, and Ghent Mapped (https://gentgemapt.be/), a public history project aimed at spatially and temporally mapping the cultural heritage of Ghent through web mapping. In April 2021, Vincent commenced a joint PhD program in history and heritage studies at Ghent University and the University of Antwerp. His doctoral research centers on historical data modeling and the creation of an urban gazetteer, emphasizing its use in managing historical spatial data. A pilot project focuses on improving the accessibility and analysis of the ‘Wegwijzer der stad Gent’ (1770-1932), a city directory rich in socio-economic data pertaining to Ghent. Ducatteeuw’s research extends to the practical application of the urban gazetteer as a geographical thesaurus within the GLAM sector, aiming to improve documentation standards and accessibility of heritage collections.
Christophe Verbruggen, Ghent University

Christophe Verbruggen is Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Ghent University and director of the Ghent Centre for Digital Humanities. He specializes in environmental history, digital humanities and geo-humanities, with a focus on interdisciplinary research linking historical data to ecological and societal challenges. Previously he has also been working on the history of transnational collective action. He currently serves as spokesperson of CLARIAH-VL+.