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1921 Census for England and Wales published




The lives of millions of Britons from 100 years ago can now be explored online after the National Archive published the 1921 Census.

It has taken a team of experts more than three years to prepare the information for online use from tending and cleaning the original records to scanning them into the archive system.

Already snapshots are emerging of life in post First World War England and Wales with Number 10 tweeting out details of then Prime Minister David Lloyd George's census form.

Also on the census is King George V, as well as one-year-old Thomas Moore – who would find fame a century later as NHS fundraiser Captain Sir Tom.

The National Archive has worked with Find My Past to make the information available in a searchable online format which will prove popular with family historians.

It has been keenly anticipated because the next Census data won't be released for another 30 years.

The 1921 census was completed on June 19 of that year. Some 38 million people were living in England and Wales during a period of economic turmoil and while recovering from a global pandemic.

There were 30,000 bound volumes of original documents to be conserved and digitised by hundreds of Findmypast conservators, technicians and transcribers.

The original documents were stored on1.6 kilometres of shelving, ahead of publication.

Jeff James, chief executive and keeper at The National Archives, said: "Census releases are keenly anticipated and create a period of collective curiosity about the past. These records reveal what has changed and evolved over time but can also provide familiarity with our lives today.

"The 1921 Census allows a snapshot of life 100 years ago, at a time when individuals and communities were embarking on a new era where everyday rights and roles were changing.

"What makes it even more important is that it will be the last census release for England and Wales for 30 years, with the 1931 Census lost in a fire during the Second World War and the 1941 Census never taken.

"As home to more than 1,000 years of history, The National Archives is delighted to be working with Findmypast to open up this unique collection to the world."

The census includes handwritten pleas from members of the public for more affordable housing (Mikael Buck/Findmypast/PA) (54121217)
The census includes handwritten pleas from members of the public for more affordable housing (Mikael Buck/Findmypast/PA) (54121217)

In some parts of the records, notebooks, comments and even a small cartoon have been discovered. They have been scanned in too - and remain with the original documents.

Tamsin Todd, chief executive officer at Findmypast said: "This is a day when we as a nation get to reflect on our shared history and personal history, as we read the extraordinary stories captured by the 1921 Census of England and Wales. Taken between two world wars, following a global flu pandemic, during a period of economic turmoil and migration, with social change at home as women won the right to vote, the 1921 Census documents a moment in time that will resonate with people living today.

"It has been a great honour for Findmypast to work with The National Archives as its selected partner to digitise and transcribe the 1921 Census.

"I am incredibly proud of our Findmypast team who have worked with passion and dedication to conserve, scan, and transcribe 38 million historical records. Our advanced search technology enables family historians to easily find and view images of the 1921 Census, and connect individual records into their family trees. Family historians around the world can now meaningfully search the Census to reveal where and how their ancestors lived and worked 100 years ago."

Laura Gowing, a Findmypast technician, scanning individual pages of the 30,000 volumes of the 1921 census (Mikael Buck/Findmypast/PA) (54121215)
Laura Gowing, a Findmypast technician, scanning individual pages of the 30,000 volumes of the 1921 census (Mikael Buck/Findmypast/PA) (54121215)

Visitors to The National Archives in Kew will be able to view the 1921 Census online for free, via the Findmypast website, as will visitors to two regional hubs at Manchester Central Library and the National Library of Wales.

For anyone at home, they can sign up to Findmypast for free, with charges from £2.50 to use the 1921 Census data.

The last Census took place in 2021 - with the next scheduled for
The last Census took place in 2021 - with the next scheduled for

Census data remains anonymous for 100 years. The most recent Census was carried out last year. Initial findings from the 2021 Census are due this spring, with in depth findings in 2023.



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