ABSTRACT
During the twentieth century the traditional craftsmen and tradesmen in the villages and country towns have become fewer and some types have almost disappeared. The decline of local tailoring and shoemaking is the result of the availability in the town shops of cheap, factory-made products. Commercial directories are an easily available source for tracing the decline of the country craftsmen, although the lists in nineteenth-century directories are probably less complete than those of the twentieth century. From the point of view of employment one should not overemphasize the importance of markets. Most employment in these towns is in public and private consumer services, and in retailing. They provide schools, medical, and social services, and a variety of increasingly attractive shops with an ever-widening range of goods. Tourists and commuters have transformed some country towns and affected the character of many more. Antique shops and teashops are important amenities for tourists in the historic towns.
