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Topic: The National Archives (Read 551 times)
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BourneGooner
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Just a general thought really!
I'm having a lot of problems looking for my Great Grandfather and am almost certain I will get the answers from the 1921 census but am barred from looking at it under the 100 year rule and may put in a request under the freedom of information act see if I get anywhere.
I just think it a bit odd the TNA can release highly secret, MI5/Government etc. documents after only 30 years I see they've just released more documents about an IRA so called hit list.
Yet the census information remains "locked" away for 100 years. Is the census information really that much more secretive than other Government records that seem to be released almost on a daily basis?
Ah well, a genealogists life can be frustrating at times.......
BourneGooner
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philipsearching
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 619
I was a beautiful baby, - what went wrong?
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Best of luck with a petition, but I don't think it will succeed.
As I understand it, the logic of a 100 year rule is that any people named are most likely dead. Documents published under the thirty year rule should have names redacted (except for public figures) to protect privacy.
Philip
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Census information is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ukTowcester/Weedon - ALLEN, BASFORD, MAY Fakenham - WILLIAMSON Hempton - WRIGHT, LOVELL Bethnal Green - MONKS and LARCHER Southwark - MOUNT, BOWBRICK Clonakilty to Southwark - CRISPIN Lambeth - LYON Hoxton - WALTERS Gwennap - JAMES, GRAY, TREWARTHA Antrim - CORDNER, SANDYS Peru - SOTELO, MOREY, BASELLI |
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Archivos
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 43
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Electoral rolls aren't confidential documents - census returns are. If you don't want to appear on the published version of the electoral roll, then you can have your name removed though it will still appear on the full rolls.
Census returns also contain sensitive data under the terms of the Data Protection Act. The documents released under 30 year rules should have sensitive information redacted.
As far as I am aware, medical records are not released, but I am willing to be challenged on that one!
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Valda
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 9716
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Hi
The first thing to know is the release of the 1921 census has nothing to do with The National Archives and requesting access under the Freedom of Information Act from TNA won't actually get you anywhere
TNA website
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/searchthearchives/1911census.htm
'What about the 1921 census?
The 1921 census and all later censuses remain in the custody of the Office for National Statistics and not The National Archives. No information will be available from these censuses for 100 years after the date they were conducted.'
Secondly the 1921 census is governed by the 1920 census act which will exempt the ONS from releasing any information under the Freedom of Information Act.
'Government policy is that the 1921 and subsequent census should remain closed for 100 years. Unlike the 1911 Census the 1921 census was conducted under the 1920 Census Act, which is still in force and which contains a statutory prohibition on disclosure. This means that if any FOI requests are received by ONS for the 1921 census, the exemption found in S44 of the FOI Act will be invoked to maintain census confidentiality '
http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazed/gazed129.htm
The stated government position from the ONS is "its intention to release the entirety of the 1921 census returns in 2022, in accordance with the non-statutory '100 year rule' which was adopted to reflect this undertaking of confidentiality".
The 1921 census will certainly be the last census released in my lifetime. The 1931 census for England and Wales was lost in a fire (not enemy action) in 1942 (the Scottish census is still intact) and there was no census taken in 1941 due to the war. What does exist from 1939 is the information obtained from National Registration which took place that year to establish National Identity cards for all UK residents. Interestingly the National Registration was technically not a census so probably does not fall under the Census Act of 1920. See here for attempts to obtain information from the National Registration under the Freedom of Information Act.
http://www.familyhistoryforum.co.uk/lofiversion/index.php?t2323.html
The situation is however complicated by the fact that National Identity cards were not abolished until February 1952 and it is not known whether the initial information collected in 1939 is in anyway separate from the subsequent updates which occurred during the following 13 years.
In the case of the 1911 census (not governed by the 1920 census act) that could only be released early because sensitive information about disabilities in the final column will remain hidden until 2012.
Regards
Valda
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« Last Edit: Thursday 29 October 09 20:22 UTC (UK) by Valda »
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BourneGooner
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Valda
Thanks for the very comprehensive answer.
Somewhat scuppers my hope of putting in a request under the FOI act and seems a bit pointless putting a petition on the No.10 website (Does Mr Brown every take any notice of them anyway, I very much doubt it???)
Ah well back to the drawing board, I guess if this genealogy lark was easy it wouldn't be half as much fun......
Onward and upward for the information I seek must be out there somewhere 
BourneGooner
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philipsearching
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 619
I was a beautiful baby, - what went wrong?
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As one door closes, another opens....
If you let us know what you are looking for, Rootschatters may be able to help. We could know of other sources to explore or you might strike gold and find a relative.
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Census information is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.ukTowcester/Weedon - ALLEN, BASFORD, MAY Fakenham - WILLIAMSON Hempton - WRIGHT, LOVELL Bethnal Green - MONKS and LARCHER Southwark - MOUNT, BOWBRICK Clonakilty to Southwark - CRISPIN Lambeth - LYON Hoxton - WALTERS Gwennap - JAMES, GRAY, TREWARTHA Antrim - CORDNER, SANDYS Peru - SOTELO, MOREY, BASELLI |
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BourneGooner
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi philipsearching
I'm looking for my Great Grandfather a Certain Charles Goff. All I know is taken from his marriage certificate to Ada Frances Talbot dated 22 April 1919. They were married at the Register Office, Southwell, Nottingham.
On the cert. it states he was 48 years old, giving a year of birth as 1871, he lived at North Muskham and was a farm labourer. His father was John Goff, labourer (deceased). I know Charles died in 1953 at North Muskham other than that I know very little (at the minute).
Searching the electoral registers Charles Goff first appears on the 1920 roll, the one before that was the 1914 (due to WWI) and he was not on that so I know he turns up in North Muskham between 1914 and 1920. He doesn't seem to appear on any census that I can find and I'm almost certain he should appear on the 1921 census and give me a place of birth!
Other family members always said he came from the "up north" there is a Charles Goff from Sheffield but after some research I know this is not him.
As you say one door closes. another opens. Got to keep looking, unfortunately my ancestry subs have just run out and I'm still in two minds as to re-newing them.....
BouorneGooner
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BourneGooner
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 20
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Ermintrude46
Thanks for the info, definitely worth a looksee. I always thought 48 was a little old for a first marriage, marriage cert. says he was a bachelor. I see from FreeBMD Elizabeth L Goff dies in 1926 which would make it interesting from my point of view as I say the wedding i know of took place in 1919.
As I said earlier my ancestry subs have expired at the minute, so I'll have to get to a library or somewhere and see if i can log onto ancestry from there and look at the service records and census info.
Will also have to see if I can find any info on Charminster Asylum.
Thanks again for the info, and if it is the "wrong" Charles at least I'll have eliminated another from my search.
BourneGooner
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newburychap
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 753
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As I understand it, the logic of a 100 year rule is that any people named are most likely dead. Documents published under the thirty year rule should have names redacted (except for public figures) to protect privacy.
I can't imagine the National Archives doing any redaction - they certainly wouldn't black out information on original documents (the mere thought of which would cause any self respecting archivist to have kittens on the spot), nor will they copy and redact swathes of documents each year.
They do review documents prior to release to determine if they remain sensitive, and extend the closure period accordingly. But most stuff will come out with all names intact. Not that 'come out' means much, they simply will stay on their shelf in TNA's caverns unless someone comes along and calls them up to a reading room.
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Currently researching: Newbury pubs & inns - the buildings, breweries and publican families. Member of Newbury District Field Club - www.ndfc.org.uk |
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