#twitterstorians, the UK's National Archives are releasing an electronic version of the 1921 Census -- Yay!
But it's behind a paywall that makes it very hard for historians to use it to write history -- Boo!
But @RichardGRodger is starting a campaign to get #CensusAccess -- Yay!
I’m considering a 1/2 meeting on this issue of access. I’ve been in discussions with various interested parties. Let me know please and spread the word. We ought to have systematic access to historical data. See my article “making the census count” doi: 10.3366/jshs.2020.0300
I am almost tempted to go to Kew on the day they release the digitised 1921 census to see how many people turn up to use it for free.
Is there an open letter going round to ask FindMyPast to offer a more reasonable bulk subscription fee? I'd be happy to start one....
This *should* be an exciting opportunity for scholars interested in 1920s British culture. Instead it is a damning indictment of the commodification of the historical record - depressing and angering in equal measure #1921census
For family, community, independent, and academic historians - for anyone interested in 1920s Britain - the price structure of the #1921census is prohibitively expensive and exclusionary.
Register now for 'Surrealism in England: 1936 and After Revisited', an online conference taking place 9th-10th June 2021. You can see the programme and register for free here: https://t.co/bYtZ7QbRgx
A final thought: the longer we hold on to a piece of work, the longer it will be before it reaches the reader with whom we are trying to engage. Let the work spread its wings.
Our writing retreat was a very collegiate & constructive experience. We thought we'd end up discussing the content of what we'd written, instead talked about the stress, craft & practice of writing. An intermittent thread will follow with some of our insights.