Do you want to see the 1911 census early? you can help

[jaq]

you can help by clicking this link

http://home.clara.net/denis.mccready/index.htm

jaq


Edit:
Just so people know what the website is, here is a quote of the first bit:
Do you want to inspect and copy the UK 1911 Census records?

You can help yourself by helping the UK government make £10m-£40m by releasing the 1911 Census Online in 2004/5 (instead of 2012).

Just urge YOUR MP to support a very important House of Commons motion

Approximately half our 1911 Census Associates live in Argentina, Austria, Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Eire, Finland, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, , United Arab Emirates and the United States of America. Because they do not live in the UK, they have no British MPs to look after their interests in the UK 1911 Census.

But, if you live in the UK, please hit the 1911 census ball straight into YOUR MP’s court and see if you get some friendly support by return.

In response to requests from several Census Associates, we are providing a letter which they could copy and send to their MPs. Obviously, many Census Associates will prefer to write their own letters, but you may be extremely busy and you, too, might welcome a very quick, time-saving way of campaigning.

Your MP’s postal address is House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA but you can find his/her email address by going online to http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/

Because we have received complaints that emails to a few MPs have remained unanswered, we STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you consider the benefits of sending a letter by 1st Class post. In the experience of one of our Australian Associates, campaign letters tend to be much more effective than emails.

Your MP is unlikely to know the background to our campaign unless YOU send him/her a copy of our Briefing Notes (below).

After writing your letter, one of the most important things you can do is to encourage at least two other people to write letters themselves, and in turn ask them to encourage two other letter writers.  This kind of word of mouth action really works and could make all the difference.

[RootsChat]

The early release of the census is not about money.

There is a hundred year rule on the census to protect the privacy and security of individuals who might still be living, this means that the earliest release of the 1911 census is the first working day of 2012.

If our ancestors who filled in the census in 1911 with theire private and confidential information were told that the records would not be released for a hundred years, then that it how it should remain.

[jaq]

 
point taken,but with so many elderly relatives already recalling their family information to aid their siblings, maybe we could have a poll?
i agree it is a delicate subject.i would be interested to hear what others thought.
jaq

[trystan]

Good idea!

Post a poll by pressing the button.

You can be the first user to have posted a poll on RootsChat then!

Trystan  

[Chris in 1066Land]

Afraid I have to agree with Rootschat and Trystan on this one - but with one exception:

The digitised or cd versions of the Enumerators returns are prepared in advance and made available on the 1st Jan 2012 instead of months later like the fiasco over the 1901 census. (yes, I do know the reasons why!)

As much as I want to see the 1911 census early - the government of the day made a declaration that the information should remain confidential for 100 years - and thats how it should stay.

Chris in 1066Land (Hastings)

[jaq]

chris wrote:
Afraid I have to agree with Rootschat and Trystan on this one - but with one exception......

hi Chris et all,
looks like i may have opened a can of worms here  
and yes i agree and hope the powers that be have learnt from the 1901 fiasco
jaq

[alanh]

The Government of the day made no declaration that the information should remain confidential for 100 years, in fact  the first time this declaration was made in relation to census records was in 1981, See House of Commons written answers 26 Oct 1998. http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo981026/text/81026w15.htm

Alan

[jaq]

Hi Alan,
and thanks for your comments.
I'm surprised there arent many other comments on this subject.

19 MPs signed EDM 871 on the first and second day.
The Adjournment Debate was broadcast on Monday, 29 March. Did any-one hear it?

jaq

[jellis2000]

Well, I have to disagree with RootsWeb actually - the census release is all about money as far as the government is concerned. The 1901 census has raised 4.5 million pounds (up to 2003) for the PRO. In fact, the revenue potential of the 1911 release is the major factor in determining when and how the information will be available, as it states on the PRO report of November 2003:

"in the light of the revenue earnings from the 1901 census, what mechanism for the launch of the 1911 census represents the optimum revenue earning
opportunity for the National Archives"

And nobody promised the details would remain secret for 100 years either. If the average release time for census information was realised for the 1911 census, the information would already have been available since 1991.

All in all, I think it's an excellent idea to release early. Other countries, such as Ireland, have 1911 census information available for viewing in one form or another, and it is hard to find a convincing argument not to follow suit.