When it’s midnight in London it’s 7 pm in Ottawa. So unlike my UK friends I didn’t have to burn the midnight oil to try the 1921 census of England and Wales newly released on Findmypast.
I was impressed. Remembering the disaster that was the release of the 1901 census online (Findmypast was not involved) I expected hiccups. Although a few were reported the vast majority, like me, found the search quick and very efficient.
Even without paying, you’re returned enough information from the free search that you can be reasonably certain you have the right person.
As a search for my mother came up empty I tried her brother, Cedric
Mousing over the right-hand icons gave the additional information that in the household were Maurice, Sara as well as Cedric and five others. I then searched with the last name and parish, Wembley, and my mother was found with her second name rather than the first. Maurice and Sara were her grandparents. Knowing the family I was able to verify four of the five others without making a payment. But her parents were not there. Possibly they were in Scotland where he had previously worked as a musician.
My father I found easily with his parents, although not in Carmarthen but the parish of Llangendeirne, Carmarthenshire. That contains the mining community where I’d previously found his father.
I will be purchasing the images of these two original records, mainly to find workplaces, as well as that for a stray cousin I’ve been following.
The database has almost 37.8 million records for people living in England & Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man or serving in the British armed forces overseas on 19th June 1921. Searching with the “Advanced Options” finds 280,661 born in Ireland, 33,676 in Scotland, 25,876 in the United States, 19,272 in Canada, 17,134 in Australia, and 2,841 in New Zealand,
Thank you for your report. You inspired me to try it.