The 1911 Census Swindle.

[wrjones]

In order perhaps not to hijack the other thread on the 1911 Census,which may very well relate to some of the specific aspects of the workings or otherwise of the Site itself,I have put forward my own thread on here,which I intend to be for the discusssion of the gross profiteering of FindMyPast.I have estimated on a conservative basis that it would take according to the cost per unit on the Site,and of course the average that one may use to complete one's search,that in order to find the 1000+ who I would wish to find,that it would cost about three whole years of the budget I have set aside for my hobby.This includes of course the cost of subs to Sites like Ancestry and GR,plus of course various Certificates I may wish to purchase,not to mention running costs etc of my PC.

Regards
William Russell Jones
Cefn Mawr
Wrexham.

[Anig]

I've been hoping that they'll only charge this way long enough to recoup their costs involved in digitising the images, etc. and then it'll be available as part of a normal FindMyPast subscription - it would still make FindMyPast attractive to new subscribers.

[Guy Etchells]

It has been stated since the outset that in due course the 1911 census will be available as part of the FindMyPast subscription service.
If you cannot wait for this then you pay the premium rate.
AS it says on the FindMyPast website-
"Findmypast subscriptions cannot currently be used on 1911census.co.uk, but in the future the 1911 census records will also appear on findmypast.com, where they will be available as part of a subscription package that provides unlimited access to the records for a fixed annual fee. We are unable to provide exact dates and subscription details at the present time."
Cheers
Guy

[chris60]

can anyone tell me is the 1911 census available to view at local archives or only through FindMyPast

thanks

chris

[Guy Etchells]

Not at local archives yet but free at Kew.
Cheers
Guy

[davidft]

William,

Modified for content

OK we all get it that you do not like the prices for the 1911 site. However please bear in mind that the 1911 census has been issued early compared to the 100 year rule. If you wait to the 100 year is up ie 1 January 2012 I am sure that it will by then have been included in a subscription.

Brightsolid only have exclusivity to the 1911 census for 6 months after it is full available which will be some time this year. Thus by the end of the year firms like ancestry will be able to buy the films and start their own transcribing. depending how quickly ancestry do this will partly determine when the 1911 census becomes available as part of a subscription.

Please keep a sense of proportion. No one is being forced to pay the current rates. If you can not afford them then wait until a subscription is available. Brightsolid are not profiteering they are seeking to recover the considerable costs incurred in transcribing the census, if they could not do this they wouldn't have transcribed it in the first place.

I for one am grateful for brightsolid's efforts

[JenB]

Why is it a 'swindle'?
You aren't being deprived of your money by fraud or deceit.
Presumably you are aware of the unit costs, and if it is too expensive - don't bother to buy. It isn't a matter of life or death. 

Jennifer

[Dancing Master]

Try again.  

It is not a "swindle"   All this work was paid for from everyones taxes in this country.  It is quite in order for the Government to retrieve some of the outlay on behalf of the tax payers who do not do genealogy and who do not expect something for nothing.

No matter what the service is someone somewhere has had to pay for it either in money or in time spent doing it.

We appear to have become a "something for nothing society" as far as I am concerned.  sorry its just the way I feel about it.

If the Government didn't attempt to get some of the vast amount of funding back they would be in trouble with others whose Taxes have been used to provide this service to us.

If something is worth having its worth paying for.

[madpants]

The 100 year rule does not apply to the 1911 census it started with the later census' which is why this one has been transcribed earlier.  

The records of the 1911 census are a special case because the 1911 census was taken before the passing of the 1920 Act and thus there is no absolute statutory bar on their disclosure

and for those of us on a tight budget, thank God they only have the exclusive rights to the census for 6 months.

You may have an inordinate amount to spend on the 1911 and be in full agreement but many of us don't and aren't.