How can the 1939 Register help a house historian?
What is the 1939 register?
The 1939 Register provides a detailed snapshot of the civilian population of England and Wales just after the start of the WW2. It was taken on 29 September 1939 and contains the details of around 40 million people in more than 65,000 volumes. No military personnel were not recorded in the register.
1939 Register return for Buckingham Palace
How was the 1939 register used?
The register has had a number of uses over the year. At the time- the information was used to produce identity cards. Once rationing was introduced in January 1940, it was then used to issue ration books. Information in the Register was later used to administer conscription and the direction of labour. The Register was continually updated while National Registration was in force, when it was a legal requirement to notify the registration authorities of any change of name or address. This ended in 1952, but since 1948 the Register was also used by the National Health Service, who continued updating the records until 1991, when paper-based record keeping was discontinued. If you see crossed out surnames- that is why!
Why is the 1939 register important for genealogists and house historians?
The 1931 census was taken on 26 April 1931 and asked similar questions to the 1921 census. However, it was destroyed by fire during the Second World War. In addition, no census was taken in 1941. This means that the 1939 Register now provides the most complete survey of the population of England and Wales between 1921 and 1951. It is therefore now an invaluable resource for genealogists and house historians! For each address, you can see a residents first and last names, role (for institutions only – Officer, Visitor, Servant, Patient, Inmate), gender, date of birth, marital status and occupation.
Where can I find the 1939 register online?
The 1939 register is available to search and view (£) at both Ancestry.co.uk and Findmypast.co.uk. However, the address search functionality on Findmypast makes it a little easier for the house historian. To access the 1939 register you will need at least a Plus subscription, but you can also pay per view. You can also take out a free trial if it is your first time using the site.
How to search the 1939 register on Findmypast.co.uk (£)
Search the 1939 register by Street and Town on Findmypast
2. Review the transcript for easy to read details about the household including individual’s date of birth, occupation, marital status.
3. Select View Original Record to explore the document in full.
Be sure to bear in mind that the record was updated by the NHS right up until 1991, which accounts of the strikethrough and surname updates throughout the original documents