1921 Census

[Megan Roberts]

If anyone is thinking about going to Manchester Central Library to access the 1921 Census for free, an acquaintance of mine tells me that it is very easy to do so; that you don't need to book; but you need a library card (available on line).

The library allows you to plug in your own USB stick and download images as you require - he manage to get 40 before having to get the train home!

The best train station, which is just a short walk from the library, is Manchester Oxford Road.

[almach]

Thank you, Megan. That is very useful information for those who can easily get to Manchester.

[Mitch in Notts]

Just an update on this - it is quite complex if you intend a long visit, which a friend and I did last Thursday (she had already been once before).
Order your library card in advance and take the order number and ID to collect it.
The library has 170 computers with 130 having the 1921 census available.
The Manchester and Lancashire Family History society has an area of 8 computers on the Ground Floor (entrance level just above the cafe) reserved for their use during the period of 10.30am to 3.30pm. If you intend a long visit it is worth asking if you can stay on one of their computers as you stay logged in until 3.30pm.
Otherwise just pick a computer anywhere and log in using the 4 digit password that you got when you ordered your library card. After 55 minutes you get a warning that your hour is nearly up. You need to go immediately to the information desk with your library card and computer number and let them allow you back in for another hour. If you go over an hour the computer shuts down, logs you out and takes ages to start back up, settle down and give you full control of it!
When you are on the computer open google.Search for Manchester Library homepage. DO NOT Select Family History Research, instead scroll down to e-collections and then select Family History Research and then click on findmypast. On the findmypast page scroll past the Manchester Collections to the dark coloured area with the small type and select 1921 census near the bottom.
If you open a 1921 census and right click it to save image it saves as a PNG which isn't great for enlarging so we found that downloading, opening and saving as a JPEG is a better option even though it takes longer. We saved 20-26 households(x2 images) per hour while we were there using this method.

We arrived at 10am - quite quiet on the Ground Floor - lot of history people around from 11am to 2pm using computers. From 3pm Library got very busy with Uni students etc and they were waiting for available computers by the time we left at 4.15pm.

Facilities: Cafe on same (Ground) floor. Toilets are on the lower ground floor to the left of the information desk and quite well hidden - and quite a trek from the computers on the ground floor.

We were also informed that the Thursday prior to our visit the libraries entire system of computers was down for a whole day. So you take your life in your hands when planning your visit!
I appreciate this is long winded but as someone not used to using computers at public libraries it was a new and not necessarily straight forward experience so I hope this is of help!