General Chat

Morning all

With all the BMD info available to look up on the Net.

Is this Census Ruling now behind the times?.

Lets face it, FreeBmd, Ancestry, FMP, Familysearch, FreeREG and Local History sites making Parish records available to view,Genes, etc etc etc.

Funny how we can find out the info of our ancestors from 1921 but cannot see them on a census record..

I feel that the arguement of Privacy is no longer viable. If it was then surley the ruling should apply to all records.

Darklord.

I don't think it is out of date.

When the poeple completed the census in 1911 and 1921, they were told the information would remain private until 100 years from the date they completed it.

It is breaking that trust to release them earlier in my opinion anyway:)

I agree with Kitty

Yes although so much information now is available to all, when the census forms were filled in they were told it was private for 100 years, in that respect I think it should be honoured as much as I would love to be able to see the information.

I wouldnt mind if in future census there was a shorter privacy law though.

From an entirely selfish perspective, I wish they would scrap the rule. I think 80 years is long enough given the amount of information that is now available on the individual.

Good question.

But, as someone has said, at the time they said 100 years so that ought to be in force.

Then, if you shorten the info to 80 years - there are plenty of people around old enough to see their details as children - with their families. The possibility of several family skeletons dropping out of their family cupboards would worry some of the older people I know. My m-i-l is 89 - luckily she knows all of the skeletons in her tree 'cos I've shared the info with her, but for others it might cause big family ructions ... so, not sure really. I think we should just leave it be.

Jill

I agree with Kitty

Hi
The 100 year rule should apply yes. BUT, with all the infomation you can aquire from the internet, i feel it makes a the othe given to people back then not worth the papaer it was written on. You can look up all different bits of infomation on a person today. You can even find one person in the whole of the USA with in days. I can understand a fee being put in place for Certificat's being brought. What i can't understand is, why people pay to do look up when most the infomation they want is made so available free of charge if you wnow where to look.

Good subject and a nice thread thank you Darklord.

Kitty, Jax and Sheila, I hope none of you have looked at the 1911 census yet out of respect for the 100 year privacy rule;))

Of course I havent looked at it David!!!

I got someone else to do it for me ;o)

lol Jax, I just knew you would stick to your principles

My principles are only concerning the living and as the ones I am researching are long gone I didnt think they would mind so much ;o)

I know a couple of people living who are on the 1911. I wonder how people actually feel if they are on it about being able to be viewed

Thats my concern would be awful finding out something juicy about a living relative from the census when they were promised it would be hidden for 100 years.

Although quite exciting too lol

Yeh for us dont think great auntie Gladys would be too chuffed if we found out she was working in a knocking shop or something lol

pmsl Jax, and it's a fair point:))

That would be a find though eh lol

Hi

Just out of interest, does anyone know when it became a legal requirement (punishable by a fine for not doing so) to complete the census form - as opposed to being *promised that the info would not be disclosed for 100 years* in order to get householders to fill in the forms?

I've just had a look on the ONS site but could only find this info which was in relation to the 2001 census:

Everyone in the country was under an obligation to complete a census form, and a limited number of people were prosecuted for failing to comply with this obligation. There was also a major publicity campaign to make people aware that a census was being taken and why the census information is important. There was a special programme to help various groups who might have difficulty with the census.

Mary

Actually Uggers I haven't! Had a quick gander to see if Grandfather was on there, but wasn't, and haven't looked at it since ;-))

I admire you then, Sheila - I have no restraint or respect whatsoever lol