The 1921 Census will be made available to the public from the 6th January 2022. Taken between two world wars, during a period of economic turmoil and at a time when women had just won the right to vote, the 1921 Census will provide some fascinating insights about society and how it has evolved over the past 100 years.
The 1921 Census will offer us a glimpse into the lives of individuals and communities between the wars, recovering from a great influenza pandemic, and embarking on a new era where everyday rights and roles were changing.
What makes the 1921 Census even more vital is that it will be the last census release for England and Wales for 30 years, with the 1931 Census lost in a fire and the 1941 Census never taken.
The 1921 census is more detailed than any previous one taken, as it asked people about their place of work, employer and industry for the first time, as well as whether they were in full-time or part-time education.
Unlike in earlier surveys, respondents could select “Divorced” as an option for marital status.
The census also asked whether children were orphaned, revealing the impact of the First World War, with 730,000 children recorded with “Father dead” compared with 260,000 with “Mother dead”.
The documents can only be opened to the public next year because under the Census Act of 1920 they must remain secret for 100 years.
