1939

[alanjohn67]

Hi I’ve been looking at the 1939 register hoping to shed some light on what happened to one of my uncles. I believe he could be there as he was 4yo in 1939 , however there’s a black line saying’ this record is officially closed’.

From what i have worked out I believe he was fairly likely to have been alive in 1966 and possibly 1973.

He was hospitalised in the early 60s so I assumed the the black line was some sort of ID protection.

I’d like to try and find out what happened to him but seeing as he was born in 35 he could possibly be alive today aged 88 , and don’t wish to cause any issues .



Bit stuck really…..

[rosie99]

The redactions on the register are those that could be still living.  If a death has not been linked to his record then FindMyPast or Ancestry will not redact it until he would have passed 100 years old

ADDED The black line has been added by the online providers

[alanjohn67]

Yeah I did Google it , very difficult to find he disappeared really in the 60s ( committed to hospital I believe) and has quite a reasonably common name - no middle name either. I think it’s possible I’ve found him on electoral role in early 2000s roughly in the same area last known….

[CaroleW]

You can use GRO online to look for deaths up to 2021 but there is no facility to narrow the search by age so if he has a very common surname it may be difficult

The GRO website is down for maintenance at the moment

[MrsAitch]

I'm having a similar issue. Two aunts who I think were evacuated to Somerset with their mother. Her name (very common) is on the register with 2 black lines beneath it. Could be them but as they likely married and changed name finding any death record would be near impossible and they may still be alive?

[KGarrad]

The 1939 National Register includes name changes - where these were known.

[MrsAitch]

The 1939 National Register includes name changes - where these were known.

Yes but not on a closed record, I would need to find that information elsewhere to try to find a death record to apply to have the record visible 

[Talacharn]

In the home of my great-grandmother, there are nine people listed. My great-grandmother, one of her daughters, one grand-daughter and a handyman were all that had been opened. The grand-daughter born 1926 had died, so it was shown. Another grand-daughter, who I knew nothing about was born Q1 1923. By the time Q2 2023 arrived it had also been opened. Of the others, I can account for three further grand-children. I assume they are listed in age order, so the unknown entry must have been born between 1926 and 1939. With common names, there is no chance of finding that person. Waiting for my final relative to be made available, I might not live that long. Next I will look through the local newspaper to see if a birth was recorded.

If female and they married, the name change might not be recorded; and if they married after the register stopped being used, it will not be noted. Should they have died, registration will then be under a different name and without further information, near impossible to link it to the birth name. Not all were recorded on the 1939 Register. Another daughter of my great-grandmother was not listed, though I know sufficient about her life, but not where she was in 1939. The Register is a useful resource, as I have found so much relating to my family; but it is not fully accurate; and on times very frustrating.

[CaroleW]

Have you looked for him on 192.com or used the online BT directory to see if he is listed