FFHS-NEWS Free access to 1911 Census has proved too popular!

[News from the Federation of Family History Societies]

Free access to 1911 Census has proved too popular!

 

The free access provided at the seven hubs around England and Wales was
provided as a set number of credits for use on the 1911 Census website. The
huge popularity of the scheme at both Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum, and
Manchester Archives and Local Studies and Greater Manchester County Record
Office, has meant that the credits supplied to these two areas have run out
earlier than anticipated. Based on the onsite usage of the website at The
National Archives (TNA) in Kew, it was estimated that the credits supplied
would last for around a year. These sites ceased to have free access to the
1911 Census from 1 October 2009.

 

According to current usage information, the other five sites still have a
good supply of credits. TNA advised each of the seven hubs that they would
need to ration the credits and indeed Manchester did implement a restricted
service but such was the demand and popularity unfortunately they consumed
those credits sooner than anticipated. The experiment has been paid for
entirely by TNA out of its own funds, and represents the equivalent of seven
large-scale institutional subscriptions for a year. Credits were purchased
for use on both the 1911 and findmypast websites.

 

The National Archives is striving to broaden awareness and access to its
records right across the country and is pleased this scheme has been so
popular at the Tyne and Wear, and Manchester archive services in particular.
They have decided that as each regional archive exhausts its free 1911
Census credit quota it will provide it with three months’ free access to its
Documents Online service. This invaluable resource for family historians
includes over one million wills, five and a half million medal index cards
and regimental diaries, among many other collections which are unavailable
on other websites. 

 

If you are unable to use this service in person at the reading rooms
mentioned above, it is also available online at
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline with downloads charged at up to
£3.50 per document.

 

There is now a subscription option which will allow access to the 1911
Census for a fixed fee. Details of offers can be viewed here:

 

http://www.findmypast.com/1911Census.jsp?utm_source=service_update
<http://www.findmypast.com/1911census.jsp?utm_source=service_update&utm_medi
um=1911_email&utm_term=service_update&utm_content=170909&utm_campaign=subscr
iption>
&utm_medium=1911_email&utm_term=service_update&utm_content=170909&utm_campai
gn=subscription.

 

As far as future access on other websites is concerned, Ancestry was
originally one of the bidders, but they chose to withdraw. However, they
have recently stated: “Ancestry.co.uk is keen to offer members the richest
and most diverse range of family history content available and has begun to
discuss with The National Archives the possibility of securing a licence to
offer our own online access to the 1911 Census in the near future.”

 

Roger Lewry

FFHS Archives Liaison

exec.member.rl at ffhs.org.uk

15 October 2009

 

The Federation of Family History Societies is a Company Limited by Guarantee

Company Number 2930189 (England & Wales) - Registered Charity Number 1038721

Registered Office: Artillery House, 15 Byrom Street, Manchester, England M3
4PF

 

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