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Census Book Competition Results

As we await new South London records on the Deceased Online database, this week's post looks back at our recent book competition

Thank you very much to all those who entered the competition to win a copy of my new book, Tracing Your Ancestors Using the Census (Pen & Sword, 2013)We had a great response, with answers emailed from all over the world.

Congratulations to the four winners who will each receive a copy of the book:
  • Jo-Ann from British Columbia in Canada
  • Lesley in Cheshire
  • Anne from East Yorkshire
  • Dawn in South Africa
The full list of questions and answers for the competition is as follows:

(i) What date was the 1841 census taken? 
Answer: Sunday 6 June 1841  

(ii) What year was the first separate census for Scotland introduced? 
Answer: 1861
 

(iii) In 1896 a quinquennial census took place. Where? 
Answer: County of London/ London
 

(iv) Which census is known as the 'fertility census'? 
Answer: 1911

The Scottish question seems to have foxed a few of you. Up until 1861, the census in Scotland was administrated in the same way as that taken in England and Wales. In 1855 Scotland introduced its own system of civil registration. This was run by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) in Edinburgh. From 1861, the Registrar-General of Scotland oversaw the Scottish census, which was enumerated separately from that elsewhere. The census also included two questions unique to Scotland: one asking for number of children 5-13 years in education and the second for the number of rooms with windows.

A quinquennial census is taken every five years. The census of 1896 took place five years after the national census of 1901 and five years before the census of 1911. This census was taken by the local government and taxation committee of the London County Council under the Equalization of Rates Act 1894. Sadly, the enumerators' books have not survived.

The 1911 census became known as the 'fertility censuses' as it included questions about the number of children, alive and dead, of each married woman in her current marriage. This question was often misunderstood by householders and some revealed more than they were asked in the answers they gave. This is one of several reasons why this census is very useful to family historians.

Next week I'll be looking into our latest release of London Borough of Sutton records. There is now wide coverage on the database of South London cemeteries, including Sutton and its neighbours Merton and Garth Road.

This weekend sees Remembrance Sunday when the nation gathers to honour those who gave their lives in war. We would be interested in hearing from readers about who you will be remembering. Please do let us know via the Comments Box below, or on our Facebook and Twitter pages.  

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