1939 Registration

[Redroger]

Whilst what Guy says is undoubtedly true, I believe that the point raised by Andycand may well be valid. How many of us know the address where our immediate ancestors lived in 1939? This may well present some problems.

[chrispaton]

Great stuff as ever Guy!

Just to add, I have clarified with the registrar general for Scotland the implications for the Scottish registration in 1939. The GROS holds the information, but has no plans to release it, as information in a deceased person's health record is apparently exempt under Section 38(1)(d) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (his words).  The ICO decision is not binding on Scotland, though lessons may be taken from it. On the NHSIC, I believe its decision on whether to appeal is imminent.

Just to add, this would be a welcome release across the UK, but it is particularly significant down south where the 1931 census has not survived (unlike Scotland), and there was of course no 1941 census due to the war.

Not sure about the point about none of us knowing where our ancestors lived at that point! By 1939, most people were well recorded in street directories, electoral rolls and many other sources, so I'd say quite a lot of people will have a rough idea where to look. It will be interesting to see the NHSIC response.

Chris

[Redroger]

Chris, My parents married in 1939, and at the time of the registration, they and my grandmother were living in a flat. They moved to a permanent home the following year after I was born. Had I not complete information available as to where they were at the time I would have been looking in Cambridge for them, rather than Boston Lincs where they in fact were. I feel certain that largely as a result of the war there will be very many people who were not living where they were shown on either the electoral roll, or street directories. Remember too that many people mostly under 21 would not be on either the street directory or the electoral roll, if it has survived. These under 21s are now up to 90 years old, and many have certainly died in the meantime.

[Guy Etchells]

Great stuff as ever Guy!

Just to add, I have clarified with the registrar general for Scotland the implications for the Scottish registration in 1939. The GROS holds the information, but has no plans to release it, as information in a deceased person's health record is apparently exempt under Section 38(1)(d) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (his words).  The ICO decision is not binding on Scotland, though lessons may be taken from it. On the NHSIC, I believe its decision on whether to appeal is imminent.

Just to add, this would be a welcome release across the UK, but it is particularly significant down south where the 1931 census has not survived (unlike Scotland), and there was of course no 1941 census due to the war.

Not sure about the point about none of us knowing where our ancestors lived at that point! By 1939, most people were well recorded in street directories, electoral rolls and many other sources, so I'd say quite a lot of people will have a rough idea where to look. It will be interesting to see the NHSIC response.

Chris

That is good news then Chris.
The admission means it would be a comparatively easy task to obtain 1939 National Registration data in Scotland.

This is because even though the 1939 Registration was used to compile the NHS records it does not and has never legally formed part of a person's NHS record.
In addition it could be argued that the 1939 National Registration was unlawfully used to compile the NHS database as such use breaches the Data Protection Act.
Data collected may only be used for the purpose it was collected for.
Cheers
Guy

[Guy Etchells]

Chris, My parents married in 1939, and at the time of the registration, they and my grandmother were living in a flat. They moved to a permanent home the following year after I was born. Had I not complete information available as to where they were at the time I would have been looking in Cambridge for them, rather than Boston Lincs where they in fact were. I feel certain that largely as a result of the war there will be very many people who were not living where they were shown on either the electoral roll, or street directories. Remember too that many people mostly under 21 would not be on either the street directory or the electoral roll, if it has survived. These under 21s are now up to 90 years old, and many have certainly died in the meantime.

I may have a very simple way to discover addresses, but will keep it close to my chest until I have had an official (legal) decision.
Cheers
Guy

[KarenM]

Hi Guy,

We have the 1940 National Registration available to us in Canada.  Here is a link to a thread I started in case you find anything interesting.

Karen

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,97590.0.html

[copperbeech5]

Well done you, on behalf of us all, great news!

Copperbeech5

[Guy Etchells]

Hi Guy,

We have the 1940 National Registration available to us in Canada.  Here is a link to a thread I started in case you find anything interesting.

Karen

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,97590.0.html

Well done Karen, expensive, yes, but every little bit of information helps to complete the bigger picture.
Thanks for posting the link.
Cheers
Guy

[LizzieW]

I may have a very simple way to discover addresses, but will keep it close to my chest until I have had an official (legal) decision.

I look forward to you telling us how to do it.  Do you mean all addresses or just addresses from around 1939?