Do you know who lived in your house 80 years ago today?…

Exactly 80 years ago today, a remarkable event took place in Britain…

The compulsory National Registration of every single person living in Britain.   
 
And, as a direct consequence, every single home was registered with full details of each home’s occupants.
 
80 years ago this month Britain declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland.
 
It was the inevitable. But preparations for evacuating children out of dangerous areas – such as London – had been taking place for weeks.
 
This from the “Log book of Wilson Marriage Senior School – Colchester”

24 August 1939 – Headmaster returned to school to complete arrangements for reception of evacuees from London
 
25-30 August 1939 – ground floor room ‘prepared for darkening’, emergency rations for evacuees received and stored in Handicraft Room
 
31 August 1939 – all staff recalled
 
1 September – 809 evacuees passed through school
 
2 September – 1159 evacuees passed through school
 
3 September – 1362 evacuees passed through school
 
4 September – 115 evacuees passed through school
 
School reopened, girls to attend in morning, boys in afternoon, four air raid shelters ready, children allocated to air raid shelters with two teachers in charge of each, air raid drill, arrangements made to protect boiler room, instructions to caretaker for turning off gas and electricity

From ERO reference E/E 274/7/8

Schoolchildren who had assembled for evacuation at Myrdle School in Stepney at 5am on 1 September 1939. © IWM (D 1939A)

On the 29 September 1939, the government undertook a massive exercise to register every single person in Britain and where they were living on that precise day. 

Everyone was issued with an identity card. 

Now known as the “1939 National Register”, the register is a remarkable glimpse into the world of people and places at the outbreak of war.

 
You can learn who lived in your house in 1939 by looking at this register. The number of people in your home, their dates of birth, and occupations.  If any children with different surnames were living in your home on 29 September 1939, then possibly they were evacuated children.
 
The 1939 Register is a precise point in history where you can discover who lived in your home on that day. 
 
There are several other points in history where you can find accurate details about your home and its occupants.  Even down to its exact layout on your village’s/town’s map and the number of rooms in your house.
 
Specific reference points that can give you stories of your home. Both the building and its occupants.
 
Want to learn more and uncover your home’s secret history?
 
Enrol on my online course – enrolment now open.

PS Did you know… that the 1939 National Register was used as a living breathing “working document” by the NHS right up to their computerisation in the 1990s?