More on the Census

Well, it is the 27th March 2011 and that means it is Census Day. I have debated whether I should complete the form and then post, leaving its arrival at the Office of National Statistics to the ability of Royal Mail or should I complete the form and submit on line?

Mr Anglers Rest wasn't bothered. Actually he must have been living under a rock for the last 6 weeks as he didn't realise it was the year of the Census. Even as I sat reading the paperwork manually he didn't realise!

I reflected what had my ancestors hand writing looked like? I knew the writing of both my maternal Grandparents, and that of my Grandfather's mother, Annie Butcher nee Harris, but I didn't know what Annie's husband, Charles Butcher writing had been like. It would have been wonderful if I could have seen it. Therefore, I am hoping in a 100 years from now someone will marvel at the handwriting that it on my form.

I therefore have decided to complete the forms both manually and archive here and then complete and submit on line.

Some of the questions are interesting. Who owns my home? How many rooms, and how many bedrooms. Did I work last week and doing what and for whom. My place of birth is recorded as England but no reference has been submitted to say where in England. Have we lost sight of the real reasons for a Census? Are we no longer finding out about the populous but finding out other statistics and work pattens with a hint at health and caring for others?