Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries until the 1930s local directories provide information on residents, tradesmen, gentry, public services and other facets of town and village life. Twenty North Yorkshire directories which include Great Ayton have been transcribed by David Sills from the collection in Northallerton public library – there may be others which are not in that collection. Each entry usually starts with a brief description of the village followed by lists of residents divided by category.