What! The 1939 Register For Free!

[reeves_colin]

Guess its common knowledge by now.

1939 Register is now on Ancestry and totally free access this weekend

[lydiaann]

I think today is the last day, yes?  Anyway, why the many, many "This record is officially closed" when I believe there must be family members on the same page.  For instance, I have a relative who is on the 1939 Register, having been born in 1936 and thus only 3 years old, yet her parents - who surely must be there - are missing, possibly under the redacted area...and they are long, long dead (1959 for the dad, and 1977 for the mum).  Strangely, her surname is amended to read her (eventual) married surname.

[rosie99]

Strangely, her surname is amended to read her (eventual) married surname.

The 1939 register was used by the NHS and updated until the early 1990's

[nanny jan]

From the National Archives:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/1939-register/

Records remain closed for 100 years from date of birth or until proof of death is produced.

[msr]

Lydiaann, today is the last day for 'free access', which is for non-subscribers.   Anyone with a paid account it will continue as it is. 

For the answer to your question about closed records, and further information, including why change of names have been made, see www.nationalarchives.gov.uk, or FindMyPast which has had the 1939 register since November 2015.

[CarolA3]

Also, search for '1939 Register' on RootsChat.  There were many threads, some of them quite lengthy, when FindMyPast first released it and there have been many more since.

There's only really one fresh issue now that Ancestry also has it.  Just thinking aloud here, but as FindMyPast no longer has exclusive rights are we allowed to do look-ups now?

(Not that I'm planning to unless/until the answer is yes!)

Carol

[rosie99]

There's only really one fresh issue now that Ancestry also has it.  Just thinking aloud here, but as FindMyPast no longer has exclusive rights are we allowed to do look-ups now?

(Not that I'm planning to unless/until the answer is yes!)

Carol

I think the same rules will apply as the 1911 - No 

[dawnsh]

Strictly speaking, you will only be allowed to post information from a free search after today.

However, as we have found with the 1911, as more sites give access, more information is available.

eg: 1911 census through familysearch, the only information not given in a free search is the fertility data.

[lydiaann]

msr:  When you say 'non-subscribers', do you mean to Ancestry or to NA?  I do subscribe to Ancestry so does this mean I'll continue to get 'service'?