1939 Register

Oh, thanks Alie

Off to have a look!

I have found two lots, but unfortunately have to pay to get any further.

I could be on the verge of solving a mystery - but will have to pay to do so!

I did say some info....

Just a tantalising glimpse

I couldn't find one set of rellies on the 1939 register but found quite a bit of interesting information for the rest of my ancestors.

I found one person apparently a relative, who I never heard of - and still don't know who they were!

It's surprising who turns up in the family tree!!

Do you know where they lived? If so, you can go to that town/city library and see the register for free.

That's interesting, so just a register of where people lived, not a census. I have managed to track down a few of my people with their addresses via phone directories which Ancestry have on line. One great grandfather and his brother who came to this country from France both had phones circa 1910, then later throughout the twenties and thirties both sets of grandparents were listed in the phone directory.

This - the addresses - is what is available for Ireland and was very useful for me.
But also specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/landingpage/collection/p16445coll4
has many city directories online - and I have just looked and they are also now available through Ancestry sub or your local library.

That's UK directories.

Just got an email from findmypast... they want me back..

New Starter/Plus/Pro subscriptions, all monthly or annually.

Starter is like my old sub. I think I will get Plus:
"The essential package with exclusive records
• Search the 1939 Register
• Search our Irish, UK Parish, Military and Travel records
1-month
£12 95 per month" (- that's not everything, note.)

For a month or two. They do remind you it's ending.
The Pro includes everything, but I didn't find the newspapers worth it, in fact I complained when I cancelled my old monthly sub, as the papers came out unreadable and unsearchable - to me, anyway.

Oh dear, I think I'm advertising..... hope not.

They created the register in 1939 so that they knew who and where everyone was ready for issuing ID cards and ration books so it only lists the names/ages of people living at each address. Very useful though if you are looking for someone 'dodgy' who managed to avoid appearing on censuses and other official records (as one of DH's ancestors did )

Also - the ID card numbers went on to form the basis of NHS numbers, so they were in effect a current system until NHS numbers were re-issued in 16-digit ISO format not all that long ago.

No Alie, your're not, I have looked already.
"Other sites are available" as they say!

I have decided that DH's family was very odd on both sides
Mine, on the other hand, were all perfect (but probably even odder!).

Most families are pretty odd!

I need to see the full version of the 1939 register, having pottered around and found out some other bits about my father's cousins in Liverpool (mariners)

- but also I have just found on findmypast this:
"Scotland Non-Old Parish Registers Vital Records 1647-1875" (Means other churches!) Googleable. Try it.

I've found a record for 1728 of a birth I've been searching for - think it's her - found her marriage and couldn't get any further back...... but I don't know if it's included in the package I want. I want her parents on the full record!

I haven't found a trace of Scottish in my ancestors although DH has some in his that he was surprised about. Someone else had researched that line of the family back to the 1600s and put it online (very helpful).

No 1939 register for Scotland online, folks. Why?

My ggrandfather went from Ireland to - South Africa. Even more difficult to find records. I was lucky and found a tree on ancestry from a distant cousin of mine there - and I've since met her! Very nice and very useful indeed.

For those who are stuck, if you put name/date/place on here, someone else may find useful stuff.
Or try on an appropriate forum - I've found that others in our U3A group tend not to use them, and I've found I get answers to my silliest questions there!

By the way. Always try and check any other people's trees you find.
Most will be accurate. My cousin in SA is pretty good. But another distant relative in Canada is not so good.
I've recently had to say basically 'just because this persons's name is at the top of the gravestone, you can't assume that this is the oldest ancestor'.
I know who she was, and she died early in childbirth!
My cousin hasn't responded, of course.... pity.