Householder's Return Forms

[SMJ]

Today I visited the Edward Elgar Birthplace Museum near Worcester and one of the exhibits was a completed Householder's Return form which asked if anyone living in the house was able or willing to volunteer for service in the Forces. I had never come across one of these before.

Were the returns ever catalogued at the time, or is it just chance to come across one? Does anyone have a more detailed knowledge?

What a wonderful resource they would be as a snapshot of family members at the beginning of WW1.

[AllanUK]

A discussion from an old forum:

Question

I have recently read a circular letter, signed by Asquith, Bonnar Law and Henderson and dated December 1914, that invites individual householders to foward a return with the names of anyone in their house willing to enlist, to their local recruiting office. Do any forum members know if there is a record of how many Householder Returns were completed?

One of the answers

I have read that 8,200,000 of the Forms were eventually delivered, and 44% were said to have been completed and returned. This didn't mean that the men who completed the form ended up as soldiers, since many subsequently changed their minds; or were found to be unfit; or their employers refused to release them for service. A number of forms were also incorrectly completed, for example by or on behalf of people manifestly over- or under-age, or ladies, etc.

The Scheme didn't work as a mass expression of willingness to enlist; but useful experience was gained both by the canvassers who delivered the forms and the recruiting officers. For example, by May 1915 the recruiters were ordered to prepare lists of all males of military age in their areas in advance of canvassing for the later Derby Scheme.

[SMJ]

Thanks for that information - I found very little on the web besides a few references in Parliamentary records and minutes.