HAMPSHIRE residents will be able to delve into history when the 1921 census becomes available at all Hampshire County Council libraries and the Record Office.

From February 1, the 1921 data will be free to view due to the council enabling access to the family history website FindMyPast, which holds the latest available census data for England and Wales.

Executive member for countryside and regulatory services, Cllr Russell Oppenheimer, said: “The latest available census data offers a fascinating snapshot of life back in the early twentieth century, so I am delighted that we can now offer free access to this information at libraries and at Hampshire Record Office.

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“Through the 1921 census we can get an insight into a time when people were adjusting to life after the trauma of World War I and the aftermath of a devastating influenza pandemic. With the click of a button, we can search for information about own family members, our street or neighbourhood and this is all now available without charge.”

Executive member for education, Cllr Steve Forster, added: “Libraries offer a fantastic environment for researching the newly available census. Not only is access free, but there is a wealth of resources for further exploration and helpful staff who can offer guidance. During the winter months libraries provide a warm and welcoming space that residents may prefer to use while carrying out their investigations.”

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For free access, people can visit a Hampshire library or the Record Office in Winchester.

Highlights from the 1921 census includes Alice Hargreaves, who inspire Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, an artist who accompanied Sir Ernest Shackleton on expeditions to the Antartic and Flora Thompson, the author of Lark Rise to Candleford.

Census data, including detailed information on population and households in England and Wales, is only available to the public 100 years later due to privacy laws.

The 1921 census is particularly important because the 1931 census records were destroyed in the Blitz and no census was taken in 1941 because of the Second World War so it will be 30 more years until another census is made public.