1921 census release

Release date is 6th Jan 2022

 

Tim's right about the England & Wales census (it has been mentioned several times in my newsletter), but the Scotland census should be out this summer.

 

I wonder if it's safe to assume that it will only be on FMP for a year or so before being available on other sites?

 

Not quite Peter. There is a one line comment on the Scottish National Archives website that says the census will be available in 2021 and a host of people have jumped on the bandwagon to take this as oh well that must mean exactly 100 years to the day after the census was taken. Scotlands People have since confirmed that they have yet to make an announcement on the date and don't expect it to be this summer.

 

The period will depend on the terms of the contract, though it's likely to more like 2 years than 1.

But what's not safe to assume is that it will be included in existing FMP subscriptions - because of the vast investment involved neither the 1911 Census nor the 1939 Register were when first released, and in both cases subscription prices went up when they were eventually added.

 

For all 12-month Pro subscribers, there will be a 10% discount on any 1921 Census purchases.

Even with the discount I'm not sure I'll be looking at many/if any records.

1921 Census page at Findmypast

 

I'll want to see my father, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents who were still alive - that's 6 households costing just under £19 (with my 10% discount for being a PRO subscriber).

 

My parents were born in the 30's.

I have a number of families where having the 1921 census would help, in fact I have 561 families on the 1911 census, and so give or take will have a similar amount on the 1921, which would cost over £1,700

I will be waiting for a better deal.

 

Yes, but they're not all of equal interest, are they? In 2007 I spent £42 on a single census schedule from the 1911 Census because I wanted my aunt to see it while she was still alive, and since she was already in her 90s I couldn't be sure she'd be around when the census eventually went online. As it happens she was, but only because it came out early - she died before the original release date.

I still haven't bothered looking up all of the branches in 1911 because even though I could enter them at LostCousins, my time is better spent on the 1841 and (especially) 1881 censuses where I have new branches to follow up following DNA matches.

I will use the 1921 Census sparingly but wisely. I imagine most people will do the same.

 

A word of warning - when Findmypast included the 1911 Census in subscriptions they charged extra. I think it was £160 in total for the equivalent of a Plus subscription (there were no newspapers or overseas records in those days).

The more people who choose the pay-per-view option the sooner they'll recover their investment. Fortunately, other than serious researchers like us, most people aren't going to be prepared to spend over £100 on a 12 month subscription - they'll consider that a ludicrous amount of money.

 

I'd happily pay an extra £20 a year to get 1921 as part of my subscription.
In fact, I'm now considering stopping my FMP subscription and just waiting for when it becomes part of subscription.

 

A reminder that it was £40 extra in 2010, and it was an 18 month wait before there was a subscription option (a standalone 1911 subscription was £59.95). It's anyone's guess what they will do this time - even they won't have made up their mind yet.