Giving false info to census 1901

[Helena_Wojtczak]

Hi folks

Someone I am researching lied to the census enumerator in 1901 and filled in lies in the 1911 herself.

Does anyone know, was this a criminal offence?

Thanks in advance

Helena Wojtczak

[stanmapstone]

The was a fine, on summary conviction, not exceeding £5, for wilfully giving false information, or for refusing to fill in the census schedule, but how would anyone know it was a lie. The censuses were carried out for statistical purposes and not for the use of future family historians  They did not lie to he enumerator, he/she just collected the filled in schedule.

Stan

[Helena_Wojtczak]

Thanks for responding.

Right, so they DID risk a £5 for lying then. (In this case a couple pretended to be married when they were not. And ten years later 1911 stated they had been married 13 years when it was only 8.)

"They did not lie to he enumerator, he/she just collected the filled in schedule."

It is my understanding that from 1841 to 1901 people spoke to the enumerator on their doorsteps and he filled in the schedule. Are you saying the householders filled in something on paper which was then re-transcribed onto the returns we see online today?

The 1911 looks different, that was filled in by the householder by the look of things and the signature at the foot.

[avm228]

It is my understanding that from 1841 to 1901 people spoke to the enumerator on their doorsteps and he filled in the schedule.

No - there was a household schedule delivered and later collected by the enumerator for transcription into a composite return.  These household schedules survive for 1911 (as you have seen) but not the earlier censuses.

[stanmapstone]

Thanks for responding.

It is my understanding that from 1841 to 1901 people spoke to the enumerator on their doorsteps and he filled in the schedule. Are you saying the householders filled in something on paper which was then re-transcribed onto the returns we see online today?

The household schedule was filled in by the householder. It is a common myth that a census enumerator knocked on doors and asked who was present, and then wrote down the details. When the enumerator collected the schedules all he had to do was to to examine the schedule in order to satisfy himself that it had been correctly and completely filled up. The household schedules 1841-1901 were destroyed, after the information was copied into the enumerator's books, which is what you see the images of. The 1911 census was different, there are no enumerators books like those in the previous censuses, as the data was processed by punch cards in card reading machines, so the original schedules survive from 1911, except for 1931 which were accidentally destroyed by a fire.

Stan

[avm228]

In answer to your main question, the relevant legislation did make it an offence wilfully to provide false information on a census return (among other things). See for example s12(2) paragraph 2 of the Census (Great Britain) Act 1910 which enabled the 1911 census to be taken:


12. [...]

(2) If any occupier for whom a schedule is left under this Act—

1.Wilfully refuses, or without lawful excuse neglects, to fill up or cause to be filled up the schedule to the best of his knowledge and belief, or to sign and deliver it as by this Act required; or
2.Wilfully makes, signs, or delivers, or causes to be made, signed, or delivered, any false return of any matter specified in the schedule; or
3.Refuses to answer, or wilfully gives a false answer to, any question necessary for obtaining the information required to be obtained under this Act;

He shall for each offence be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

However, the reality is that there was little or no policing of the veracity of the information returned, and family historians tend to find that all the published censuses are riddled with lies, half-truths and omissions. Enumerators had a tough enough job getting all the forms delivered, collected and transcribed without doing amateur detective work on the contents.

[stanmapstone]

You can see the Act for taking the Census for Great Britain in the year1911. [3 August 1910] 10 Edw. 7 & 1 Geo. 5 c.27 at http://www.rootschat.com/links/0f1o/

Stan

[Helena_Wojtczak]

I am extremely grateful for this information AVM.

I note that this legislation applied only to the 1911 census. Was it an offence to lie in the previous censuses please?

My focus here is not on whether anyone could get caught, but on establishing if a certain person had ever lied (in her llife) and I am citing her lies to the census as evidence that she would lie if it suited her. As an aside, I would like to be able to give the information to my readers that she lied even though if caught she could have been fined, and I need to know this in relation to the 1901 census, previous to the Act cited.

Hope I have explained well.

Cheers

Helena

[Helena_Wojtczak]

The household schedule was filled in by the householder. It is a common myth that a census enumerator knocked on doors and asked who was present, and then wrote down the details. When the enumerator collected the schedules all he had to do was to to examine the schedule in order to satisfy himself that it had been correctly and completely filled up. The household schedules 1841-1901 were destroyed, after the information was copied into the enumerator's books, which is what you see the images of. The 1911 census was different, there are no enumerators books like those in the previous censuses, as the data was processed by punch cards in card reading machines, so the original schedules survive from 1911, except for 1931 which were accidentally destroyed by a fire.

Stan

Thanks Stan (my Dad's name!) for the above, which is very useful for me to know.

Of course, every time something is transcribed, it is one more opportunity for error. What with the lies, omissions, mistranscriptions, scribbled handwriting etc, it's a miracle we can find ANYONE in a census!