The 1911 Census

On the night of Sunday 2nd April, 1911, millions of people across England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, aboard Royal Navy ships at sea, in foreign ports and in military establishments overseas, completed, in their own handwriting, their Census returns.

The 1911 census is huge - it currently occupies 2 kilometres of shelving - and is the first set of Census records for which the whole record was preserved. There are over eight million house-holder schedules (completed by the householders themselves) and a further 38,000 enumerators' summary books. It comprises some 8.5 million pages and holds the details of more than 37 million people living in England and Wales in April 1911. Once digitised, the census will take up an equally large 0.5 petabyte of computer memory or, physically, 800 data tapes. The digital scanning will create 18 million images - 14 times the number created in advance of the 1901 census being launched online in 2002.

Until recently, these remarkable records were scheduled for release in 2012. However, in 2007 the Information Commissioner decided this particular Census could not be released earlier, and beginning in 2009 there will be a staggered release of images and transcription data starting with the major conurbations.

Certain sensitive information relating to infirmity and to children of women prisoners will be retained, but from 3 January 2012 the public will have full access to the entire 1911 census, including the sensitive information not made available in 2009. Researchers anywhere in the world will be able to search across the fields of the census by name, address or The National Archives catalogue reference, and download high-resolution digital images.

Natalie Ceeney, Chief Executive of The National Archives said:

"The 1911 census holds more information than the 1901 census. It is also the first census where the householder's schedule has remained the master entry, rather than the enumerator's notes, so researchers are able, in most cases, to view their ancestors' actual handwriting when looking at 1911 census entries."

The 1911 Census brings to life a partly industrial, partly agrarian society with a wide range of professions and skills carried out by a the globe. As well as the information required by the Census - fascinating in its own right -some respondents took the opportunity to express their views about current affairs. The British Empire was at its height, and some returns include passionate references to the imperial ambitions of the European powers, hinting at the global conflict that loomed three years in the future. The Women's Freedom League, a suffragette organisation, had arranged a boycott of the census. One apparent sympathiser, who left the return otherwise blank, has written 'No vote - no census. In view of restrictive legislation ... I refuse to give details of my household asked for in this document.'

In determining how best to manage the release of the 1911 census, The National Archives' guiding principle was to offer the widest possible access in the shortest possible time frame. They opted for an online service with high quality digital copies in colour. Initial scanning work began in August 2007 and by the completion of the scanning phase, around 8.5 million pages will have been scanned. Researchers will be charged 10 credits per transcript and 30 credits for each original household page. Visitors to the website can buy 60 credits for £6.95. Current findmypast.com customers' credits and vouchers will be valid for use on the 1911census.co.uk site. Vouchers can be purchased from The National Archives bookshop and redeemed on findmypast.com. Credits can then be spent on both findmy-past.com and 1911census.co.uk.

Taken from an article in Local History News, No. 90 - Winter 2009. (Magazine of the British Association for Local History)