Genealogy Chat

The NHS 1939 service can be found here
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/services/1939-register-service

Remember also that there were directories produced for each town which will show you name and address and historical ones of these are held by the library local studies section.

Mark.

I have my National Identity Card and I cannot see that the information on it would be much use !!

Perhaps another way to get information after 1911 is the from the National Identity card. Information taken from:

http://www.1911census.org.uk/1939.htm

" Information gathered for each person was their name, sex, date of birth, marital condition, occupation and whether a member of the armed forces or reserves. "

"People who had a national identity number during the Second World War still have the same number as their NHS identity today. "

Accessing the 1939 Identity Card Information
The 1939 Identity Card Information is now in the care of the NHS Information Centre since it was used to form the basis of the NHS Central Register, a list of everyone who is, or ever has been, registered with a General Practitioner in England and Wales since the foundation of the National Health Service in July 1948. Until 1991 a manual (paper-based) system was in operation, since then a computer system known as CHRIS (Central Health Register Enquiry System) has been used.

Guy Etchells who was responsible for the challenge to the Information Commissioner that resulted in the 1911 census for England and Wales being released "early" (well early as far as the government was concerned) has also challenged the refusal of the NHS Information Centre to release information taken during the 1939 Identity Card Registration and in late 2009 received a ruling by the Information Commissioner partially in his favour where that information relates to deceased persons.

In response to this and a large number of people following Guy's lead and also making requests, the National Health Service Information Centre announced at the end of January 2010 a formal service for people to request data held on the 1939 Register for England and Wales. There is a charge for this - £42 - and data will only be released for individuals who have died and are now recorded as deceased. See here for more details with a further link to a form that needs to be completed and submitted. The fee is for a search with no refund if nothing is found.