Ancestry to release English and Welsh 1921 census on January 7th

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has annoucned that the English and Welsh 1921 census will be made available on its platform from January 7th 2025, after the three year exclusivity deal between FindmyPast and TNA expires.

The Scottish equivalent remains available only on ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk), and there was unfortunately no equivalent in Ireland due to the War of Independence in 1921. 

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Hebridean genealogist Bill Lawson awarded British Empire Medal

Congratulations to Isle of Harris based genealogist Bill Lawson, who has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Years Honours list for "services to the community in the Western Isles". The full Gazette entry for the announcement is available at https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4783889.

Originally from Stirling, and raised in Ayrshire, Bill has spent many years researching families in the Western Isles and the many crofts on the islands, through his service Cò Leis Thu?, based at the Hebrides People Centre on Harris.  

For more on the story read the BBC Alba account at https://www.bbc.co.uk/naidheachdan/sgeulachdan/cje9pqjdz1lo (in Gaelic).

Chris 

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.