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1911 and 1926 census

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by davebarrett2005 (U2193374) on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  I thinks its wrong for the government to keep the census secret for 100 years. Closure should be for 50-60 years. If these census were opened up it would make life so much easier when it comes to finding relatives.I think all those organisations involved with family history and the general public should tackle the government on this issue.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by robert2fife (U1944846) on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  Yes I wonder why 100 years when the goverment sells some of the information on uptodate census records. I would say that we should be in line with the American system of 70 years. I thinks its wrong for the government to keep the census secret for 100 years. Closure should be for 50-60 years. If these census were opened up it would make life so much easier when it comes to finding relatives.I think all those organisations involved with family history and the general public should tackle the government on this issue.Β 

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by alllegs (U2185631) on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  If the 1911 was released now then I could hopefully stop banging my head against this brick wall.....!
  (see my where is my great gran thread)
  
  ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by dmatt74 (U1690430) on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  As far as I know the only information that is made available are the categories of people, ages, occupations, etc.
  
  The census is and has never been about family history, it justs happens that family historians have used the information when it is released. Incidentally there is no 1926 census, they have been every 10 years with the exception of 1941. Why release the census after 70 years and not any other date?.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Jowin1 (U1940449) ** on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  Hi there
  
  You should read this thread from a previous message about 1911 census.
  
  
  
  It might your head banging a little better or worse.
  
  Jo

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by TwoBitTwoBit (U1573417) on Saturday, 8th October 2005

  Just to clarify the above posts:
  
  The was no census in 1926. The census is taken every ten years (so 1921, 1931 etc.)
  
  The 1911 census returns are in such a terrible state (rotting away, literally) that if they were released they would probably be of hardly any use (see link above).
  
  The 1931 census no longer exists - it was destroyed during the War. There was no census in 1941.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Adam Girdwood (U1688149) on Sunday, 9th October 2005

  I think the 100 year closure period is about right. The 1991 and 2001 Census included very personal questions such as information about income, educational level, religion. It seems that every census now seems to probe ever more deeper into matters that in the 19th century they did not bother to record - probably because of the opposition that was raised into attempts by the state to enquire into private life.
  
  It is quite possible that someone aged 25 in 2001 will still be alive 50 to 60 years later. Whilst I do not mind my relatives looking at the information, I am not sure I want some of my neighbours to be able to look at it.
  
  On another thread on the Census I commented that the problems identified with the 1911 and 1931 Census appeared to only apply to the Census of England and Wales kept at the Public Records Office. I do not think that they apply to the Census of Scotland as this is compiled by and kept by the General Register Office for Scotland.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by loftyowl (U1774904) on Sunday, 9th October 2005

  Don't forget that the census information provides a great deal of information which wasn't intentionally meant for family historians. The fact that family historians use these data sources is secondary to the main issue.
  The reason for saying that is that many of us have found skeletons in our family cupboards. Such social discomforts may not be of real issue to some of us in our modern times but they were real issues in their time. How many of us have found 'illegitimate' births', 'bigamous mariages' or 'dissertion'. If my granmother kept such a secret for all her life, and let's say that she is now 93 years old, then a 100 year rule would protect her privacy, regardless of it's modern day merits. A 50 year rule would expose a secret which she may have been kept for many yeras. I would prefer to have the privelege of finding out that private dilema, after my grandmother had died, rather than letting the informstion being available in the public domain, including her neighbours.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by Patrick Wallace (U196685) on Tuesday, 11th October 2005

  There is also the point that promises were made at the time about the confidentiality of the information collected - because otherwise it would be even less reliable than we know it to be. As long as some of the people in it might still be alive, isn't it reasonable for them to expect such a promise to be kept? The world doesn't revolve around our hobby.

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Adam Girdwood (U1688149) on Tuesday, 11th October 2005

  I was looking at the General Register Office for Scotland website and the Office for National Statistics website. They are now planning for the 2011 Census. There is a possibility that a question will be included about respondents' sexuality. If this question is included I can envisage even more probing personal questions being added in 2021 and beyond. There is also a possibility that you will be asked to disclose your National Insurance number. This information would make it easier to "cross reference" data with other Government Departments.
  
  Putting aside the argument as to whether a Census should collect such data it merely proves that the closure period should be at the very least 100 years. I am more than happy to answer the most probing questions on a Census form. However, I do not want any of the neighbours I have or have ever had knowing this information. I am happy for some blood relation to find out these things 100 years on if they are undertaking research. If life expectancy does increase it may even be necessary to consider increasing the Census closure period to 110 - 120 years.

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