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1939 Register Update
Posted: 17 Jul 2015 07:42
by MaryA
Findmypast, in partnership with The National Archives (TNA), is preparing to make the 1939 Register available online to the public later this year. In September 1939, Britain had declared war on Germany and the Government urgently needed to take stock of the civil population. The result was the National Register, a comprehensive overview of the civil population of England and Wales in 1939. The Register contains names, addresses, dates of birth, marital status, occupation and whether the individual was a member of the armed services or reserves.
The most recent record of the English and Welsh population available to use in research is the 1911 census, with the 1921 census being made available in 2022. The 1931 census was destroyed during the war, and the 1941 census was never taken. This means that there will be a 30-year gap between surviving censuses, an enormous missing piece for family historians. The 1939 Register will bridge this gap, offering information on 40 million people in England and Wales that these missing censuses can’t provide. Due to legal restrictions relating to publishing private information on living people, anyone recorded on the 1939 Register who was born in the last 100 years will have their details redacted (blacked out) as time goes on these individuals will gradually be revealed.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 17 Jul 2015 17:52
by 42aitch
Try this to learn a bit about the conservation process
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQZvSCZj7ro
Eileen
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 31 Jul 2015 11:24
by plimmerian
do we know when it will be available?
thanks!
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 31 Jul 2015 21:47
by Blue70
I don't think we know what date yet when it will be available but have a read of this page including the comments and responses by FMP:-
http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2015/behin ... -register/
Blue
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 11 Sep 2015 23:56
by plimmerian
Thank you for your message - I'm sorry I didn't acknowledge sooner but I keep forgetting to subscribe to topics!

Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 22 Oct 2015 15:15
by Blue70
".. expected to be released next month.":-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34570120
Blue
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 22 Oct 2015 18:26
by MaryA
Still don't think they are giving much away. There's a big question mark over how available and how much.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 15:21
by Karen
Just had an email regarding the availability of the 1939 Register.
Some quotes:
We always want our members to be the first to hear our marvellous news, and today I’m delighted to let you know that on Monday 2nd November 2015, the 1939 Register will be made available online for the very first time, only on Findmypast.
Pricing
Records will be available to purchase for £6.95 per household or £24.95 for our 5 household bundle (£4.99 per household).
As a valued subscriber, we will be sending an exclusive code to you soon which will entitle you to 25% off our 5 household bundle.
I was expecting it to be expensive but thought it would be a bit more reasonable than that!
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 15:53
by Fledge
I think I'll be passing, unless those of us with World subs for FMP receive a decent discount.
Edited to add: just read the above. I'll definitely be passing. I hope FMP are ready for the inevitable backlash.

Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 15:57
by Heli
Wow, that is expensive. Perhaps we should wait until is included in the subscription.
Heli.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 17:22
by MaryA
I believe it was a lot more expensive to order from the GRO.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 19:24
by Blue70
I doubt given the exclusive charges that access will be available in libraries. These charges will cause much gnashing of teeth but as Mary said these charges probably reflect charges elsewhere here are details of the current process I hope there's no risk of redundancy to staff employed in the team below:-
How do I apply?
Please complete the three-part application form below and send a printed, signed copy along with payment for £42, made payable to Health and Social Care Information Centre (do not send cash) to;
The Health and Social Care Information Centre
The 1939 Register Team
Smedley Hydro Rm B108
Trafalgar Road
Birkdale Southport
PR8 2HH
Blue
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 27 Oct 2015 20:04
by Hilary
It's definitely a great deal cheaper than it was to get it before. My brother and I paid the £42 a few years who to solve the mystery of my grandmother's ancestry and felt it was worth it. In comparison £6.95 sounds cheap.
No doubt in time to come the price will reduce or be included in subscriptions. For the moment I would probably just buy the bundle and look for my parents and their parents and grandparents for the moment.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 28 Oct 2015 08:48
by MaryA
Thank you for the reminder of the price, I will pass that information on to the Facebook group as similar comments about the "high" price have been made there too.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 28 Oct 2015 09:38
by Fledge
Ah well, I certainly can't afford it. Nor do I feel I have anything to really gain by it - I know where my grandparents and parents were in '39, and all of my great grandparents were long dead anyway.
To that end, I've forgotten about it already.

Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:03
by MaryA
Me too, I don't think I need such recent information. Might have been different if I thought it would resolve a problem.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 28 Oct 2015 10:09
by luxor
Fledge wrote:Ah well, I certainly can't afford it. Nor do I feel I have anything to really gain by it - I know where my grandparents and parents were in '39, and all of my great grandparents were long dead anyway.
Indeed; mine were in Northern Ireland, which probably isn't covered anyway. I'd intended to do a trawl for my Padiham ancestors, but the character I see as central, George Whitham, had fourteen children in the mid 1800's. He was one of ten sons so it's a bit of a challenge to separate his line from the others. I shudder to think of the accumulated cost of seven quid for every possible by 1939!
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 28 Oct 2015 16:39
by Karen
Hopefully, at some point down the line, there will be a subscription option available. I have nobody 'essential' that I need to look up but there were quite a few people that I would be interested in trying to locate. Depending on how the search facility works, I might be persuaded to purchase one of the household bundles as a one-off.
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 29 Oct 2015 00:03
by Blue70
luxor wrote:Fledge wrote:Ah well, I certainly can't afford it. Nor do I feel I have anything to really gain by it - I know where my grandparents and parents were in '39, and all of my great grandparents were long dead anyway.
Indeed; mine were in Northern Ireland, which probably isn't covered anyway. I'd intended to do a trawl for my Padiham ancestors, but the character I see as central, George Whitham, had fourteen children in the mid 1800's. He was one of ten sons so it's a bit of a challenge to separate his line from the others. I shudder to think of the accumulated cost of seven quid for every possible by 1939!
There's information here about applying for details from Northern Ireland's 1939 Register:-
http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/ ... ister.html
Blue
Re: 1939 Register Update
Posted: 29 Oct 2015 00:12
by Blue70
Charges will be waived for visitors viewing the 1939 Register at TNA in reading rooms once the Register goes live on 2 November, see comment on 28 Oct at 2:23pm:-
http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blo ... us-census/
Blue