Early release of censuses

No, not that hoary old chestnut about the 1911 but the already
released censuses.

A claim has been made that some censuses were released ahead of the
100 year rule so that the average time of release was less than 100
years.

Have any of the censuses been released significantly, or even at all,
before 100 years? If so, which ones and how long before the 100
years?

Eve McLaughlin...

After 1851, where limited semi-official access was possible for various
good reasons, they were not (Eng+Wales).
What you may be thinking of is that it was possible to get access, for
untold gold, to information about one named person at one stated
address, in the 10 years ahead of time. This will not work with 1911,
because the format was different and the physical state of the schedules
is very poor - it will present a difficult problem to give access at
all, and i do hope they are making strides with the long preparations.
In Scotland, there was access to 1891 ahead of time, but the different
rules which applied have now been brought into line with E&W. In
Ireland, local access to 1901 and 1911 was made possible to make up for
the almost complete destruction of 'dem old t'ings no one would ever
want to see again', way back.

Gordon Webb...

The main reason for their early release was to make up for the destruction
of earlier census info and public BMD records during the Irish civil war
(after the formation of Eire) by the IRA.

Charles Ellson...

Wasn't it initially done to enable OAP claims to be verified rather
than for the convenience of family historians ?

Charani...

It was what someone had claimed, not what I was thinking of. I'd not
heard of any censuses being released when they were less than 100
years old, hence my query which Caroline answered. After all I wasn't
around in 1911

I know there was a very restricted access to much later ones but one
virtually had to know everything that was in the census first, which
rather made the exercise a waste of time.

I know what Rod Neep has said about the state of the 1911, however,
there are those who prefer to believe the official version that all
the enumerators books still exist and that it's all in pristine
condition.

The Scottish ones I thought might be different, but Charles had
pointed out that since the 1891 but no more will be.

The Irish censuses were destroyed because of an undertaking that they
were not to be viewed by "the idle curious".

There have also been claims that the 1951 and 1961 censuses are not in
good condition and that they aren't complete.

It's also been alleged that the DOVE project will be completed before
the 1911 census is ready for release.

caroline.bradford...

The 1841 and 1851 were both released in 1911.

Charani...

Thank you. That's the first I'd heard of that. I wonder why that was
and how many people were accessing them. Not nearly the numbers that
are now.

caroline.bradford...

They were released in the sense that the books were moved from the offices
of the Registrar General to the Public Record Office where (theoretically)
anyone could go and inspect them. No copies, no microfilm, no index, no
publicity - shouldn't think many people bothered. I believe the Registrar
General made the decision himself - perhaps they were short of space as the
1911 census was taking place that year. He wasn't really breaking any
specific rules, as the earlier censuses made no mention of a "100 year
closure". But the public had been told that the information was completely
confidential, so it was in a sense a breach of trust.

Charles Ellson...

The HO107 class would seem to indicate the 1841 and 1851 censuses as
coming not from the Registrar General but from the Home Office. If
that is the case then it would not seem to be the RG's decision what
was done to them if they were never in the RG's custody.

Charani...

And it's that breach of trust over the promise of the information
being completely confidential that a handful of people would
cheerfully breach now. I wonder how they'd feel if they'd been given
just such a promise only to find it being breached some time later. I
guess they wouldn't.

All the best

Charles Ellson...

The 1891 census for Scotland was available a few years early but it
has been stated that there is no intention to do this with later
censuses. Limited information was (is?) available from the

Eve McLaughlin...

was; this does not apply to 1911, unless something weighty, like
national security or the Prime Minister for the time being's lot are
involved.

next-to-be-released English and Wales census subject to a number of
matching details being supplied by a descendant along with a search
fee. The arrangements are the consequence of decisions made (subject
to different legislation) using discretionary powers of each country's
Registrar General.

Charani...

Thanks :)) I wondered if it was the Scottish censuses that had been
the ones the claim was being made about but it would be the ones
Caroline mentioned.