Release Census Early Campaign - Please read & reply !

[Jan Ann]

Hi to all! I am going to start a campaign to get census details released earlier. As someone trying to find distant relatives I find it ridiculous that if I do a search for myself (age 36) on the internet I can find me, my children, address and phone number, yet I will have to wait until 2011 or later (once they've been transcribed) until I can research who my family were in 1911 = who probably died before I was Born.! If any of you out there feel the same please send a personal message ON THIS SITE stating your name and postcode and I will try and get a petition started and lobby my MP in the UK. If you are not in the UK please say so in your e-mail - LETS START A CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE THE TIME FOR CENSUS BEING RELEASED TO A MAXIMUM OF 50 YEARS. PLEASE INFORM ANY OTHER MEMBERS YOU MAY HAVE CONTACTED AND GET THEM TO E-MAIL ME TOO! Regards Jan Tivey

PS I CANNOT BELIEVE ANYONE THAT HAS REPLIED TO ME AND SAID THAT IT IS DONE FOR REASON - WE NOW LIVE IN 2005 - IF WE CAN FIND DETAILS OF THE LIVING - JUST TRY SEARCHING FOR YOURSELF ON THE INTERNET AT B4U.COM FOR EXAMPLE - THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK FIFTY YEARS AGO AT OUR ANCESTORS!


C'mon You Lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are an awful lot of people looking at this page but not commenting at all so far 600 views but only 23 replies - stop being cowardly and state your opinion or at least poll you opinion!

[RJ_Paton]

This topic has been raised a number of times ..... the general consensus (after argument) has usually been that much as we want the information why should we be entitled to it.


The thing is that if the time limit originally imposed is reduced or removed whats to prevent the next limit being removed and the next etc etc ...... before you know it we have a 5 minute rule.

[Little Nell]

As Falkryn says, this discussion has happened before:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,53123.0.html

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,49904.0.html

  No good either if the format of the returns that survive has changed such that it is not as useful to family historians as previous ones.

[Guy Etchells]

This topic has been raised a number of times ..... the general consensus (after argument) has usually been that much as we want the information why should we be entitled to it.


The thing is that if the time limit originally imposed is reduced or removed whats to prevent the next limit being removed and the next etc etc ...... before you know it we have a 5 minute rule.

Good argument but unfortunately wrong.

The government did not make any promise to keep the census secret for 100 years until the 1981 census.
Only 3 census have specified that the information will be closed for 100 years - The 1981, 1991 & the 2001.

Early census (including English) were released in less than 100 years, the Scottish census release period was changed in 1974 from 70 to 100 years.

In 1871 the census officials in London divulged the names and addresses of all children 3-13 and their parents to the London School Board to help enforce compulsory education., therefore a precedent of releasing census information early had been set.
Cheers
Guy

[RJ_Paton]

An argument which could run and run .....

Early census (including English) were released in less than 100 years, the Scottish census release period was changed in 1974 from 70 to 100 years.

whilst the precedent you quote may be considered good enough reason to demand a reduction in the period of closure my question still stands .... if we do away with one limit simply because we want the information why not do away with the next limit for the same reason.

Don't get me wrong if the information were to be made available I would love to get hold of it but the case has not (in my opinion) been made to justify the release.

[Guy Etchells]

The answer to your question was in my reply-
There was no 100 year limit on the 1911 census when it was taken therefore there is no reason why it should be applied now.
If your argument was taken to its ultimate conclusion there would be no census releases until the 1981 census was released in 2082 as all census until 1981 put no date to the end of the confidentiality period.
Cheers
Guy

[indiapaleale]

Hi All,
Here's my 2 cents:

I tend to agree with Guy. As there was no 100 year promise, I would think it would be reasonable to release the 1911 and even the 1921 census early.

Could it be possible to invoke a 70 year rule on censuses prior to 1881?

The USA has released census based on a 70 year rule but I'm not sure when it took effect.

As Guy says, personal information is widespread on the internet and there are companies out there today who collect every detail of our lives in 2005. Who we married, if we have any speeding tickets, where and how we spend our money, etc. Anyone can find out where I live...but I can't find out where my grandma lived!!!!

Yesterday, a bill was passed in the Canadian Parliament to release the 1911 Canadian census...so...this summer, we will be able to view the US census and the Canadian census but poor old Britain will be in the dark ages again!

India,
A Brummie in California

[RJ_Paton]

If your argument was taken to its ultimate conclusion there would be no census releases until the 1981 census was released in 2082 as all census until 1981 put no date to the end of the confidentiality period.
Cheers
Guy

A circular argument but incorrect .... what I said was that if the limit (note I didn't mention 100 yrs) was breached what was to stop the next limit etc etc.
You may find that the legislation which affected the 1981 census and introduced the 100 yr rule was also applied retrospectively to the dates that such information was collected. Not to the date (which was inferred as 2082)of the legislation affecting that particular census. It may also be the case that the legislation introduced a shorter time span than originally envisaged as it may never have been the intention to release the information as governments tend to do.

As I also said I would welcome some of the information but the proponents of this argument have failed to convince me of the validity of their case and I'm more or less on their side ..... what chance have they against a civil service that seems to operate in millennia ?

[Paul E]

This was found on http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/

Before you get too excited... this is for Canada!

cheers

Paul

Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Bill S-18 providing access to the 1911 Census passed the House of Commons today

Bill S-18 providing access to the 1911 Census passed the House of Commons today

At 8:00 AM PDT Tuesday June 28th MP Dominic LeBlanc, Deputy Government Whip, rose and stated words to the effect that "If the Speaker would seek it, I believe he would have the unanimous consent of the House to deem Bill S-18 -- An Act to amend the Statistics Act, to have passed Third Reading". That consent was given.

Bill S-18 has now passed all necessary stages in both the Senate and the House of Commons and all that remains to be done to make it law is for it to receive Royal Assent. It is expected that assent will be received shortly.

It is believed that the Library and Archives of Canada has already scanned images
of the 1911 National Census of Canada and they should be available online almost immediately.