History of Wigan   (Help with ancient and recent history.)

Has any one had any experience using one of these old directory publications for research purposes?

I am wondering how easy it might be to use one to try and find an individual person? I suspect it might be designed as a street, and/or business index, for looking up who or what was at a specific address, otherwise a lot of page turning would be required to track any one person down by name only.

I may need to resort to a Kelly Directory to trace the possible lead for a long lost relative, and would like to know how intensive a search of this kind might become. Particularly since Kelly Directories for 1929, 1930 and 1931 might be involved.

David
Winnipeg, Canada