Genealogy and keeping data for the next generation

[Mart 'n' Al]

Firstly I must say I've worked with computers for 40 years, and for the last 10 years of my career with CCTV security cameras. It's possibly given me a more relaxed attitude towards these things, although I realise many people hate giving any information to anybody. A lot of people resent giving information to the authorities or to businesses, but I wonder if your views as a genealogist differ from the rest of the population.

Many people object to having an electronic car tag that allows them to cross a toll bridge, or to carry a smart card that lets them travel on the bus or underground, but wouldn't it make life easier for us if our ancestors had had these procedures in place?

Imagine if a great great grandfather had left us a record of his daily journey to the next village, passing through the toll gate, or how often he got paid, and how much. Imagine if he had left us a record of what he bought at the local shops each day, and how much he was paid, and details of his school report.

I do realise that half the fun of genealogy is that it isn't easy, but wouldn't we all like to see 30 seconds of video of someone from 100 years ago in their local high street?  Even Google have to delete old StreetView data.  Do genealogists have different views on data confidentiality than the rest of society?

Just my musings!

Martin

Martin

[Rena]

Technology is a two edged sword. Over time technologies are updated and your valuable research vanishes into the ether. 
You wont find my original research on rootsweb, it's vanished. 
Neither will you find my tree on gencircles because gencircles has vanished.
My original ancestry.co research also vanished and so too did the replacement.

I used to think my computer was a failsafe place too but over time updated computer programmes won't open dated programmes and additionally there are gremlins about that manage to make possessions such as backup disks, copying paper, memory sticks, ink in the cartridges, disappear like magic.

[Pejic]

I'd be happy enough if it was all kept (securely) secret for 100 years like census data.

I keep as many personal details as possible off the internet - despite the inconveniences caused by personal data hungry suppliers.  And as far as possible when asked for e.g. my date of birth for no readily discernible reason (like when asking for quotes for pet insurance) an approximate date is given.

Although many of these requests are probably genuine, there are too many evil people busy in the background collating everything they can find out about anyone (and not just by hacking into the sites of naïve data repositories such as the Inland Revenue, National Health, Google, Facebook, NASA and the DNC!).

[Guy Etchells]

I'd be happy enough if it was all kept (securely) secret for 100 years like census data.

Snip

Thanks you have made my day I have not laughed as much for years.

What on earth made you think census data was "kept (securely) secret" for 100 years? You surely have not fallen for the government propaganda have you?

Before someone write but our ancestors were promised that the census would be closed for 100 years, I can confirm no census until the 1981 census contained a promise that it would not be released for 100 years.
On top of this the census that did carry that assurance 1981 did so due to the unauthorised actions of the Registrar General who was made to apologise before parliament for adding that unauthorised statement to the census schedules.

Only six out of the 15 pre-1910 United Kingdom censuses have been closed for 100 years; nine out of 15 have been released after less than 90 years. The average closure period for censuses in Britain is 80 years.
In 1871 the census officials in London divulged the names and addresses of all children 3-13 and their parents to the London School Board to help enforce compulsory education, leading to later census carrying the statement that no census information would be used to enforce compulsory education.

The 100 year rule only came into being in 1966 under Statutory Instrument No. 12 of 1966.
Even the Information Commissioner confirms the 100 year rule is “non-statutory” and the Statutory Instrument that invoked the original 100 year rule in 1968 was revoked in November 2000.
Until 1983 it was possible to pay (I think it was £10) to get details of a household from the next unreleased census from the GRO.

There have been more instances of leaks from government compiled information instances of secure government compiled information than.

Cheers
Guy

PS I did not even get round to mentioning the fact that some filled in census schedules were lost when the fell of the back of an open lorry carrying them to the storage depot.

[panda40]

Three generations of mine worked at a local coal mine. When this closed along with others in the 1980’s I asked where the records had gone hoping to discover logs of the employees etc. I was informed that all records were thrown down the mine shaft due to the circumstances that the mine had closed under. From a genealogist point of view I weep for the destruction of such valuable records which would have been a window into my ancestors life. Sadly these records were destroyed before they could be digitalised. I would love to have the information but that is life.
Regards panda

[coombs]

I also once read in a genealogy book the false thing that our ancestors were promised that their census details would not be released for 100 years from the date the census was taken. I agree with what Guy said.

In my bedroom, one of my shelves is a virtual record office. It has many, many parish records on CD, the 1851 census for London on CD, and the 1841 London census on CD, and has many certs which I have bought over the years. I shall certainly preserve them for the future generations.

[KGarrad]

Imagine if a great great grandfather had left us a record of his daily journey to the next village, passing through the toll gate, or how often he got paid, and how much. Imagine if he had left us a record of what he bought at the local shops each day, and how much he was paid, and details of his school report.

And what would you do with such information?
It's inconsequential to your Family History and adds nothing of any significance.

More important is how you store any data?
Tried-and-trusted technology like:
8 in floppy disk?
5½ in or 3¼ floppy disks?
Cassette tape?
8-track cartridge tape?
IOmega ZIP Drive?
CD-ROM?

All are obsolete, or will soon be so

[chris_49]

Before someone write but our ancestors were promised that the census would be closed for 100 years, I can confirm no census until the 1981 census contained a promise that it would not be released for 100 years.
On top of this the census that did carry that assurance 1981 did so due to the unauthorised actions of the Registrar General who was made to apologise before parliament for adding that unauthorised statement to the census schedules.

Only six out of the 15 pre-1910 United Kingdom censuses have been closed for 100 years; nine out of 15 have been released after less than 90 years. The average closure period for censuses in Britain is 80 years.
In 1871 the census officials in London divulged the names and addresses of all children 3-13 and their parents to the London School Board to help enforce compulsory education, leading to later census carrying the statement that no census information would be used to enforce compulsory education.

The 100 year rule only came into being in 1966 under Statutory Instrument No. 12 of 1966.
Even the Information Commissioner confirms the 100 year rule is “non-statutory” and the Statutory Instrument that invoked the original 100 year rule in 1968 was revoked in November 2000.
Until 1983 it was possible to pay (I think it was £10) to get details of a household from the next unreleased census from the GRO.

So we can campaign for the 1921 census to be released early with redactions, just as we did for the 1911?

I'll be on the 1951 but by 2051-ish I'll surely be dead - or very pleased to be alive!

[Guy Etchells]

Three generations of mine worked at a local coal mine. When this closed along with others in the 1980’s I asked where the records had gone hoping to discover logs of the employees etc. I was informed that all records were thrown down the mine shaft due to the circumstances that the mine had closed under. From a genealogist point of view I weep for the destruction of such valuable records which would have been a window into my ancestors life. Sadly these records were destroyed before they could be digitalised. I would love to have the information but that is life.
Regards panda

I am surprised about that but hopefully it would only be the records in use when the mine closed. Many local archives have mining records which were transferred every few years while the mines and pits were open.
Cheers
Guy