Shedding light on lost souls from 1851

Paul R Taylor

September 23, 2008

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DAMAGED records of life during Manchester's industrial boom are to be deciphered using hi-tech forensic cameras.

The technology of crime scene investigations will be used to read the city's 1851 census - which was virtually destroyed by flood water from the Deansgate canal.

The manuscript contains details of more than 250,000 Manchester inhabitants, from novelist Elizabeth Gaskell to poisoner Ann Britland, the first woman hanged at Strangeways.

Also in the census are suffragette leader Lydia Becker and dialect poet Samuel Laycock.

The illegible records are preserved in their fragile state at the National Archives in Kew, but they will be brought out of storage to allow experts from website Ancestry.co.uk to examine them.

A forensic expert will search through thousands of permutations of light rays to find the combination that will reveal the currently invisible writing. The next step will be to digitally photograph the records and publish them online next year.

Simon Harper, managing director of Ancestry.co.uk, came up with the idea for the project, negotiated access to the records and secured funding.

He said: "For many people with ancestors living in Manchester at this time, the restoration means a significant missing piece of their family history can be solved.

"It's amazing that our technology now allows us to bring such records back to life.

"They will also shed light on the social make-up of the city, which was Britain's 19th century industrial hub. Large families living in crowded homes will contrast with industrial magnates living in splendour with servants and maids."

Also of interest to historians will be the recovered details of some of the city's better known sons and daughters.

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PW, Manchester (24/09/2008 at 08:28)

I did extensive research on my family tree earlier this year, obtaining many copies of censuses. I found it fascinating, as it was like stepping into their front room in 1841 or 1881 etc. After all, that's what the Census Man did when he compiled it.

It was also tragic to see little Samuel or Mary aged 2, but they didn't appear in the next one 10 years later. That happened a lot because if you had a disease, you often kept it until it saw you off. We don't really know how fortunate we are. I hope this project is a success as it's the only way of remembering relatives otherwise long gone.

Mike, Manchester (24/09/2008 at 08:32)

While they're at it they should do the 1911 census as that is a mess too.

Nick Narford, Manchester (24/09/2008 at 10:06)

Wow this is great stuff.

I've been waiting for this for years as I'm missing a family link that i need to prove/disprove - they were living in Deansgate at the time I believe. Can't wait til these go online.

Saying that, I bet it's cost a fortune for Ancestry to do this - a bit of social responsibility shown which is nice from such a big company. They obviously feel like doing the people of Manchester a favour! Well done to them.

Nick

John Marsden (25/09/2008 at 17:31)

An interesting proposal, but why wait? Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society have transcribed all of these damaged records and publish the resulting details on CDROM. Visit www.mlfhs.org.uk to find out more

Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (25/09/2008 at 18:23)

Nick Narford, Manchester,

Do a "Google" for: Family History Online. They also have the "unfilmed 1851 census". Some returns are so badly water damaged that they will never be transcribed though. (I have some of the 1851 CD's and street indexes but not Deansgate)

John Marsden (29/09/2008 at 09:08)

The water damaged pieces on Ancestry show how bad the original are. However, the transcriptions by Manchester & Lancashre FHS taken from the original material using UV light recover virtually ALL the text from the areas which appear black on the images.
John Marsden

Pam Tunstall (29/09/2008 at 16:39)

I read the article with surprise, the reason being is that all anyone has to do is to go to www.mlfhs.org.uk and there you will find a CDROM of these 1851 water damaged records, there has been a lot of time and effort spent by the MLFHS and I think should be given where credit is due

marion mcmanus (29/09/2008 at 22:45)

I have News for you.
These 1851 Census have been already been published by MLFHS with the help of many
HARD WORKING VOLUNTEERS.
I have some of these CD's
I would like to thank all the volunteers who gave up their spare time to Transcribe them.
What is Ancestry playing at???

Veronica Williams (01/10/2008 at 19:37)

The people of Manchester and Lancashire as a whole have a wonderful facility in the Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society.

I am amazed that this highjacking of material which has already been transcribed using the same sort of methods as has been announced both by MEN and the BBC. This work was undertaken about 10/14 years ago and completed by the MLFHS and who have had this data for sale on disks to the public for a very long time.

I cannot understand why some research was not done before publishing this article.

Perhaps in local people supported all the good work being done locally they would not have been surprised at this announcement.

As for Elizabeth Gaskells family that too was transcribed and nothing new.

As for the Deansgate canal I have never heard of it, but the photograph illustrating the "Deansgate Canal" appears to be of the Rochdale Canal.

Veronica

John Marsden (10/10/2008 at 10:25)

For those who want to learn more about this recovered material, there is now a new web site www.1851-unfilmed.org.uk which includes free name and street indexes.
John Marsden

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