Nelson ballroom dancers Hilda and Ted Taylor in 1925. Image from Lancashire County Council's Red Rose Collections

Rare glimpse of the past on offer via new 1921 census material online

A fascinating glimpse into life more than a century ago is on offer thanks to new census material at the county council.

People can now research parts of their family history for free on Find My Past at the county council's Lancashire Archives and Lancashire Libraries online.

This is because the 1921 census can now be searched for free via these methods, offering vital means for anyone interested in tracing their family tree.

Offering a unique and rare snapshot into the past, the 1921 census provides incredible detail on location, age, marital status and occupation as well as information on other residents at the same place.

The rare information unearthed by the census showed the devastating impact of war on families, with more than 730,000 fatherless children being recorded in England and Wales, 261,000 without a mother and huge numbers of women entering the workplace due to the number of men killed or left permanently disabled.

This saw women becoming engineers, vets, barristers, architects and solicitors to name but a few professions.

 Councillor Peter Buckley, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: "The census is taken every ten years and is essential for anyone researching their family tree.

 "The 1921 census offers the chance to step back in time and retrace the daily lives of your ancestors, and can be an excellent way to begin building your family tree, so why not give it a go and discover your family tree?"

To search the census and thousands of other records on Find My Past, which is available for free at Lancashire Archives and Lancashire Libraries, visit  Libraries and Archives - Lancashire County Council to find your nearest venue.