Current Electoral Roll? Is it searchable by surname?

[charlotteCH]

Is it correct that there is a searchable form of the current UK electoral roll? Or is  the telephone book for all UK on a CD or in a format searchable by surname?

The reason I ask is that I am seeking someone called Hargreaves GILL who may live in Lancs. I know there have been 3 generations where Hargreaves GILL has been the name used for the son-born 1845, 1882, 1906-  the last of whom was  born in West Derby, Lancs. 
If this last Hargreaves GILL married and had a son, the son could be alive today and I'd have a punt on the family name again having being used.  It's an unusual name so if there is a man by that name around, almost certainly he is descended from the family I'm tracing.

So 2 questions:
Is the electoral roll or phone book in searchable form?

If so, is there someone with access to it who would be able to look for a Hargreaves GILL please?

I'd be most grateful for any help.
Thanks,
charlotte

[Tati]

Hi Charlotte,

It can be searched at 192.com (http://www.192.com/)
You have to pay for credits or 'get sponsored' (which I would translate 'receive spam') 

Tanja 

Also (Phonebook) http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha.content/en/find/index.publisha

[charlotteCH]

Tanja,
Thanks for that info.  I have just tried both the URLs but the searches on those sites  allow only an  initial  to be used for the first name or an abreviated form so there is no way of knowing if the H Gill is the specific Hargreaves GILL I am looking for.

I think it needs an electoral roll or access to a fuller database than offered on those two sites- or it needs someone with more clues than I have about it to get at the system.

Thanks again for your suggestion,
charlotte

[Necromancer]

http://www.b4usearch.com/index.cfm?event=search_findPerson:Display&who=Hargreaves%20Gill&where=Lancashire

also only initials ...

[charlotteCH]

Thanks ScRoppers,
Yes, again the problem is initial only.  There is one in Blackburn Lancs that might be mine as the Gill family went there for a bit in 1880s.
But to chase this successfully it needs the full first name to be able to be used.  After all, with a distinctive name like Hargreaves GILL, it's very discouraging not being able to get the mileage out of it.
Thanks again for your suggestion and help,
charlotte

[Tati]

192 is full name search as far as I'm aware ... but there aren't any matches. 

[charlotteCH]

Tati, Thanks.  I guess it needs something like UK-Info upgraded edition CD which I think gives first names for searching.   I have the 2000 ed CD from off the front of a computer mag but it is not useful unless you already know what you are seeking! As well as that the exe isn't woking very well for me.
All things conspire against me on this one.
Thanks again for looking on 192.
charlotte

[mosiefish]

Hi,

It may be worth noting that for the past few years the FULL Electoral Roll is only available to VIEW by third parties but only to check names and addresses for credit and other purposes specified in law and law enforcement. 

There is an EDITED register available for general sale which can be used for any purpose e.g. marketing etc.  Any person can opt out of appearing on this register - I certainly do .  So a Hargreaves Gill may still  e lurking on an Electoral Roll but may not appear on 192 etc.

Regards,
Mo

[charlotteCH]

Mo, Thank you for that info.   A couple of years back someone in business in UK looked up a name of someone I was seeking and it had the full first names, not just initials.  I guess what was used then was the optional business version of the electoral roll, and I was lucky.

I'll keep trying to see if there is a Hargreaves Gill around and a lookup is possible.  Also since this topic of discussion got under way I think I have found another family member, John Hargreaves Gill who married  in Bradford in 1906, so maybe there is another possibilty.

Thanks again Mo,
 charlotte