Time for a Local Census (1801-1831) subscription service

[drhewitt]

What do you think of this idea?

None of the major genealogy websites have touched the issue of local census returns (1801-1831) or local inhabitant lists. I consider these returns one of the last untouched areas of genealogy.

I have the Hackney census returns for 1801, 1811 and 1821 and the 1831 Marylebone census, as well as other returns such as the 1776 Wetherby Census.

If we pooled our resources, we could start a website for a local census listing subscription service.

I have found these early census returns to be invaluable and have found a few of my ancestors in Hackney using these returns.

There are a couple of guides published which list all the early census returns. One of them is "Census schedules and listings, 1801—1831: an introduction and guide" by Richard Wall, Matthew Woollard and Beatrice Moring and published in 2004.

Some questions though:

1. What are the copyright limitations?
2. Is the information considered open to the public?

[stanmapstone]

Most of the census records 1801-1831 are held in County Record Offices. You would have to contact each office to see what their policy was. Over 750 parish listings of names survive for these censuses, most only listing the heads of households, although about eighty list all inhabitants.
See http://www.histpop.org.uk/pre41/listings_a.pdf
Stan

[CaroleW]

If we pooled our resources, we could start a website for a local census listing subscription service.

Ignoring the obvious copyright issues etc - have you given sufficient thought to the financial implications?  Collection and division of the money etc etc?

[stanmapstone]

http://www.histpop.org.uk/pre41/listings_a.pdf lists the location of all the known existing records. Apparently there are at least two surviving for each county in England except Rutland.

Stan

[nameless]

I can't get that link to work, is it just my computer problem?

[nameless]

Working now, hot computer???

[drhewitt]

Ignoring the obvious copyright issues etc - have you given sufficient thought to the financial implications?  Collection and division of the money etc etc?

Yes, I have thought it over. It doesn't have to be a paid subscription service - look at FreeBMD - all done by volunteers. If I had the time and funds I would definitely do it - it's a long term project but since the location of the records are known I don't see why it can't be done.

[drhewitt]

Most of the census records 1801-1831 are held in County Record Offices. You would have to contact each office to see what their policy was. Over 750 parish listings of names survive for these censuses, most only listing the heads of households, although about eighty list all inhabitants.
See http://www.histpop.org.uk/pre41/listings_a.pdf
Stan

There are a few exceptions where all members of the household are listed. For many researchers, they'd be able to go back another 40 years in some cases. I have found an ancestor who appeared in the 1811, and 1821 census returns but did not make it to the 1841 census.

[CaroleW]

It doesn't have to be a paid subscription service

When you use the word "subscription" the indication is that you are expecting people to pay for use of the info provided.

Perhaps a better word would be Transcription Service if you intend comparing it to freebmd and no charges will be made

Have you seen http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Census.html

The census was taken on the following dates:
10 Mar   1801   No longer exists, with a few exceptions
27 May   1811   No longer exists, with a few exceptions
28 May   1821   No longer exists, with a few exceptions
30 May   1831   No longer exists, with a few exceptions