Genealogy Chat

Having problems locating the second register taken in Sunderland Central in 1945. According to all the records two registers were taken in 1945. Have contacted the British Library, Sunderland Local Studies and the N. Archives without success.

Is there anywhere else I can try?

Lynne

What is the source of your info about these registers having been taken?

You refer to 'all the records'..........which ones are they?

Have you tried Durham County Records Office?

Would seem the most likely.................

I've looked at various sites about the electoral registers on-line and every publication says that there were two taken in 1945. There were none done during the war years. I have traced someone on the April/May register in Birmingham 1945 and want to see if they are in Sunderland towards the end of that year.
I am assuming that this was a country wide thing and that it wasn't left to individual areas to decide if they did one or not.
Sunderland Local Studies have the registers from 1949 that's all.

Lynne

? To appear on a register don't you have to actually "register" the year prior to it being published anyway so unlikely if they were in Birmingham April 1945 they would have been registered in time for one later on that year elsewhere? It surprises me that as the war didn't end until mid 1945 that one was even produced and available April 1945

I'm not sure if that was the case then. Certainly we know that our relation was in Birmingham on the first ER. Through other sources we are 99% certain that she went up to Sunderland but I would like to be sure. I'm just intrigued as to why I can't track an ER for Sunderland until 1949. Am I not looking in the right place?

This is a short extract from a website about the history of electoral rolls. The link to the full details is below.

Registration was again suspended in 1939 and there were no
registers in 1940 to 1944. Registers coming into force on 15 October resumed in
1945 and continued until 1949 but in addition there were two extra registers, one
in 1945 coming into force on 7 May to facilitate an anticipated general election
and another, a partial register listing servicemen and those recently demobilised,
coming into force on 1 March 1946.

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/offpubs/electreg/parliamentary/parliamentaryconstituencies.pdf

I asked earlier if you'd tried Durham Records Office.

No response.

ER's are usually held at main public libraries, which you don't mention having tried.

Presumably you realise that historical ER's are searched by address.

Haven't had time to respond due to work commitments. Yes I do know how they work, yes have tried my local library/archives, yes have tried Sunderland Local Studies also the British Library. Have sent another request to Durham. Nat Arch also which is why I asked if anyone knew anywhere else I ought to be trying.

How about finding and asking a local family history or historical society? Might the council still have them, or could they have been destroyed?

You can't be the first person to ask this question. Someone must know what happened to the missing years.

You would think so wouldn't you.