General Chat

Can anyone tell me why there is 100 year wait b4 they release the census? i.e 1881 release 1981 etc.....

Most persons named on a census will be dead when the details are released...........

It is the law. Pressure has been made constantly, and is being made constantly, on the government to change it, by family history societies and by individuals. Joy

Thanks for your replies. This is a real pain as it doesn't help my research one bit. America goes as far or near as 1930, and i believe Australia is similar. Ours is quite excessive

Hi all Does it mean that you waive your right to privacy when you reach 100? Due to the fact that people are living longer, does it mean that the 100 year rule will be increased? Lynne

if you google search "census 100 year rule" you will find an interesting site, from which I quote below. Joy ............................................ Yes2Census75 A campaign for a 75-year census closure period The BBC2 TV family history programme Who do you think you are? has attracted enormous audiences – more than five million viewers a week - the best on BBC2 in 2004. The producers, WALL TO WALL, describe the series as “the story of Britain told through the family histories of ten of the UK’s most popular celebrities”. Unlike BBC2 TV, supporters of Yes2Census75 are attempting to get the 100-year census closure rule scrapped so that the 1911 census could be released immediately. But ministers are absolutely adamant that UK censuses will remain closed to inspection for 100 years. Our MPs need to try to urge ministers to change their minds. Fortunately, a four-year old campaign by pro-active family historians in the UK and abroad has won the backing of one in every 5 MPs and one in every 4 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in Edinburgh. But that leaves over 400 MPs who have NOT YET given us their support. In the last few years, thousands of members of the public from around the world (e.g., Argentina, Austria, Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Eire, Finland, France, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the United Arab Republic, the USA and the UK) have told us that they have sent census emails and census petitions to UK ministers and to the chairmen of House of Commons select committees, asking for access to census records before they are 100 years old. (More) In 2004, members of the public won the support of 120 MPs who signed House of Commons Early Day Motion 871; calling for the early release of the 1911 Census; noting that informants were not guaranteed 100-year confidentiality in 1911; that the average closure period for pre-1911 UK censuses was 80 years; and that it would be financially advantageous for the government to release the 1911 census before it is 100 years old. But ministers declined to lower the closure period. Who are our some of our most influential supporters? Some members of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Scottish Parliament believe that the 100-year census closure rule should be scrapped. In 1998 and 2003, the government’s Advisory Council on Public Records announced that it considered that “any reduction in the closure period for censuses up to that taken in 1991 would be a breach of confidence. It also felt, however, that a shorter period, of 80 years for instance, might be appropriate for future censuses.” In 2000, Professor Lord Skidelsky, the internationally famous professor of political economy at the University of Warwick, wrote to us, saying: “On the face of it, it seems absurd that census records for England and Wales should be closed for 100 years. It is significant that no assurances were given to the public before 1981 that census returns would be regarded as confidential for 100 years.” In 2001, the Rt Hon Lord (Peter) Archer QC, former Labour government Solicitor-General, wrote to us saying that he thought the 100-year closure period for censuses should be looked at again. In 2001, Robin Corbett MP (now Lord Corbett), then the Chairman of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, said: “I have written to the Lord Chancellor urging him to use his powers to open the 1911 Census records next year (i.e. in 2002), that is a decade ahead of the released date presently scheduled. Personally, I can see no good reason why these records need to be kept closed for anything like a century.” In 2004, a quarter of the Members of the Scottish Parliament, signed a petition calling for the early release of the Scottish 1911 and 1921 census records. The petition was tabled by the Scottish Nationalist Party MSP for Aberdeen North, Brian Adam. In 2004, at least 120 Members of Parliament signed a Liberal Democrat petition calling for the early release of the 1911 census records. The petition, known as Early Day Motion 871, was tabled by the MP for Orkney & Shetland, Alistair Carmichael. It has won the support of MPs from all parties in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including 75% of all LibDem MPs. (More) ________________________________________________ We hope we can tempt you to spare a few minutes to support this Yes2Census75 campaign. To join, FREE OF CHARGE, just email us (under the subject Yes2Census75) with your full name, town, postcode, MP’s name and a message of support. Now is the time for all historians (including those who live outside the UK) to come to the aid of the UK census It’s simple Just contact one UK MP It’ll only take a few minutes And you would increase our chance of winning! Contact details can be found at http://www.theyworkforyou(.)com BG (Colchester) has written to say: Yes I would like to help in the campaign and I have at least two other friends interested in family history who would also be willing to write or email our MPs. Is there a format you would like us to follow? And please can you advise the correct email address to use. So here’s a suggested letter to BG’s MP. Anyone could adapt it to save time. Bernard Jenkin Esq MP (Con, North Essex) House of Commons London SW1A 0AA Dear Mr Jenkin CAMPAIGN FOR A 75-YEAR CENSUS CLOSURE PERIOD I would be glad to have the benefit of your advice about the best way to persuade ministers to introduce a 75-year closure period for decennial population censuses for England & Wales. Is there any action you could take to support the campaign? The following notes have been supplied by Yes2Census75 Yours sincerely BG BRIEFING NOTES FOR YOUR MP (1) Documents released by the government confirm that some English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland 19th century censuses were released after no more than 50, 60, 70 or 80 years of closure. (More) (And more) (2) But Members of Parliament have been INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that Treasury ministers are empowered to make statements about the closure of censuses INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that censuses that are marked STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL must be kept confidential for 100 years INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that UK censuses have ALWAYS been closed for 100 years INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that Census informants have ALWAYS been guaranteed 100-year confidentiality INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that the census closure period CANNOT be less than 100 years INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that the damaging effects of a shorter census closure period on future nationwide censuses could be considerable and reduce the response rate in future censuses INACCURATELY AND MISLEADINGLY informed that the government has a duty to protect the interests of those over 93 who have requested ministers to prevent their 1911 census details being opened to inspection before the records are 100 years old. Charlie Falconer, the Lord Chancellor and Freedom of Information Act minister, is aware that we allege that the advice his department has given to MPs on this matter is grossly inaccurate and misleading. (More) (3) Between 1st January 1959 and 19th June 1966, the governments of the day failed to comply with a Public Records Act duty to release five 50-year old English & Welsh censuses. It is understood that the governments of Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home and Harold Wilson could not afford to pay for micro-filming those censuses (4) In the early 1960s, the Registrar General proposed that all English and Welsh census records should be destroyed but “nothing will be said to the public that would imply ultimate destruction of th

My apologies that initially my last reply appeared several times! - the reason being that it said page cannot be displayed so I went back and clicked again on add message - happened again ... and again!! ...... zzzzzzz Then would you believe it, it appeared several times!! and had to delete several of them! Anyway, hope you find it of interest. :) Joy

Had ago at my MP at the local Con. Club, didnt want to know, but then he makes no effort to support many "EARLY DAY MOTIONS" BUT HE DID SUPPORT A HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF OUR LOCAL FERRY COMPANY, Nice one Peter!

nudging ... Joy