The following Press Release is from FreeCEN:
FreeCEN offers a free-to-search online database of the 19th century UK censuses. Transcribed entirely by volunteers, we have more than 32 million individuals available on our website that anyone can search without having to create an account. The new ‘FreeCEN2’ website (https://freecen2.freecen.org.uk) [launched] Monday, 31st July 2017 with all of the records that the [older] website [held], but with a fresh new look and feel in-line with Free UK Genealogy and FreeREG. We believe that family history records should be free to access for everyone; our new website will offer more features for researchers, and make it easier for them to find what they’re looking for. FreeCEN2 also brings with it a host of improvements for existing and future volunteers, such as a members sign-in area and brand new messaging system. FreeCEN, FreeREG and FreeBMD are projects by Free UK Genealogy, a registered charity that promotes free access to historical records. FreeREG underwent this process in 2015, and FreeBMD is due to begin its renewal later this year.
Pat Reynolds, Free UK Genealogy’s Executive Director said, “We are very proud of the progress that our volunteers have made in the 18 years the project has been running, and we look forward to a time when we have a complete database of all UK censuses. The launch of our new FreeCEN2 website marks the beginning of an exciting period of renewal for FreeCEN.”
Brenda Bowers, FreeCEN project leader went on, “The new website is a work-in-progress and we want genealogists and family history researchers to try it out and let us know what they think. If we know what works for them, what doesn’t, and what features they’d like to see, we can make FreeCEN2 the best resource for free census records. It could even encourage new volunteers to join us!”
To try out FreeCEN2, please visit https://freecen2.freecen.org.uk and share your feedback with us to help make it the best it can be.
We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers, and we’re always looking for more. If you’d like to join the FreeCEN team, go to freecen2.freecen.org.uk/cms/opportunities-to-volunteer-with-freecen
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Free UK Genealogy is a non-profit organisation (a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales, number 1167484) that provides free, online access to family history records. We work with a team of dedicated volunteers to create high quality transcriptions of public records from governmental sources, parish churches, and other trusted institutions. We believe that Open Data and Open Source are key to making and keeping public records accessible to all.
Our volunteers have made available:
- 33,000,000 births, marriages and deaths in FreeBMD
- 38,000,000 records from parish registers in FreeREG
- 32,000,000 individuals from census data, from 1841 to 1891 in FreeCEN
We make the databases we create freely available for people to search in order to support their family history research. Unlike many sites, which are ‘pay-to-view’ after an initial search is carried out, our databases are completely free to search and view.
Thanks to Claire V. Brisson-Banks and ResearchBuzz for the heads-up.
