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The 1939 Register takes the lead with this week's release

5-6 minute read

By Jessie O'Hara

23 December 2022
The 1939 Register takes the lead with this week's release

With 71,000 records and 600,000 newspaper pages, there's so much to explore.

It's that time again - the fourth annual rolling release of 1939 Register records has arrived. But that's not all we have in store for you. Read on for a full rundown of everything that's new.

One of the most crucial resources for any family historian, we've opened up the 65,000 new records for the 1939 Register that have passed the 100-year rule within the last three months.

Findmypast are the official home of the 1939 Register, meaning we release these records before any other family history website.

A snippet from the 1939 Register.

A snippet from the 1939 Register. View this record here.

We're sure you've all come across these pages in your research, but just in case you haven't - the 1939 Register was taken in order for the British government to issue national identity cards to all citizens just before the Second World War. Later, the information gathered was also used to create ration books and order conscription.

It's an incredible resource for discovering information like your ancestor's address and occupation, or even for looking into the history of your home.

This focused and fascinating collection details the licences granted to over 6,300 Irish people, allowing them to keep arms in the early 19th century.

ireland licences to keep arms

A snippet from this collection. View this record here.

You'll not only find details on your ancestor's residence - which, as anyone researching Irish genealogy will tell you, is irrefutably valuable - but you'll also discover the arms they kept and often the magistrate who granted the licence.

The wonderfully-named Neptune Blood, for example, owned one brace of pistols, a double-barreled gun, and a blunderbuss.

Neptune Blood in the Ireland, Licences to Keep Arms collection.

Neptune Blood in the Ireland, Licences to Keep Arms collection.

If you have Irish roots, this is definitely one to get stuck into.

It's a mammoth week this week at our newspaper archive, with 19 brand-new titles and 152 updated titles.

Amongst them, you'll find news from all across England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, including two titles from 19th century Dublin and specialist title, Jewish World.

Read on for a full list of everything that's new.

New titles:

  • Axholme Herald, 1992, 1998
  • Brondesbury, Cricklewood & Willesden Green Advertiser, 1892
  • Croydon Post, 1995-1996
  • Dublin Advertising Gazette, 1858-1877
  • Dublin Sporting News, 1889-1893
  • Eastern Mercury, 1892, 1895, 1904, 1907, 1911
  • Ely Weekly News, 1997-1999
  • Exmouth Chronicle, 1920
  • Financial Standard, 1891
  • Holborn and Finsbury Guardian, 1899, 1901, 1904, 1910, 1913
  • Hoylake & West Kirby News, 1998
  • Jewish World, 1877, 1889, 1898
  • Louth Target, 1997-1999
  • Manchester Evening Chronicle, 1914, 1916
  • Middlesex Mercury, 1895
  • St. Pancras Chronicle, People’s Advertiser, Sale and Exchange Gazette, 1907
  • Wales on Sunday, 1992
  • Wembley Observer, 1997
  • Wishaw World, 1990

Updated titles:

  • Abergele & Pensarn Visitor, 1992
  • Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser, 1943
  • Aldershot News, 1904, 1917, 1984
  • Anfield & Walton Star, 1990-1991, 1998-1999
  • Ashby Mail, 1991, 1995
  • Beaconsfield Advertiser, 1998
  • Bebington News, 1998-1999
  • Bedfordshire on Sunday, 1990
  • Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 1957, 1959
  • Belper Express, 1999
  • Beverley Advertiser, 1998-1999
  • Birmingham Daily Post, 1919, 1924-1925, 1927, 1936, 1952
  • Birmingham Mail, 1925, 1931, 1962, 1973
  • Birmingham News, 1991, 1998
  • Blairgowrie Advertiser, 1993
  • Bootle Times, 1993, 1998-1999
  • Boston Target, 1998
  • Brighton Argus, 1912
  • Buckinghamshire Examiner, 1997
  • Burton Trader, 1991, 1993, 1998
  • Bury and Norwich Post, 1906-1907
  • Cambridge Daily News, 1888, 1890-1891, 1894, 1904, 1906-1907, 1909, 1913
  • Cambridge Town Crier, 1998
  • Carmarthen Journal, 1997
  • Catholic Times and Catholic Opinion, 1905-1907, 1913, 1916
  • Chester Chronicle, 1958, 1961
  • Clevedon Mercury, 1993, 1998-1999
  • Consett Guardian, 1908
  • Crewe Chronicle, 1982
  • Crosby Herald, 1998
  • Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter, 1952, 1958-1959
  • Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, 1872
  • Daily Post (Wales), 1980
  • Derby Daily Telegraph, 1971
  • Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 1905
  • Dorset County Chronicle, 1906, 1910, 1920
  • Dumfries and Galloway Standard, 1991
  • Dunstable on Sunday, 1998
  • Ealing & Southall Informer, 1998
  • East Cleveland Herald & Post, 1996, 1998-1999
  • East Grinstead Observer, 1892, 1998-1999
  • East Hull Advertiser, 1998-1999
  • East Kent Gazette, 1998-1999
  • East Kilbride World, 1998-1999
  • Ely Town Crier, 1992
  • Evening Herald (Dublin), 1913-1914, 1917-1918, 1921, 1948
  • Express and Echo, 1956
  • Faversham Times and Mercury and North-East Kent Journal, 1999
  • Feltham Chronicle, 1999
  • Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 1990, 1999
  • Formby Times, 1998
  • Gateshead Post, 1948-1967, 1969-1976, 1978, 1980-1981
  • Gloucester News, 1997
  • Great Barr Observer, 1998-1999
  • Gwent Gazette, 1999
  • Haltemprice & East Yorkshire Advertiser, 1998
  • Harlow Star, 1999
  • Harrow Gazette, 1908, 1919
  • Harrow Observer, 1936
  • Hereford Times, 1902
  • Hertford Mercury and Reformer, 1958
  • Hertfordshire Express and General Advertiser, 1936, 1951, 1954, 1956
  • Hexham Courant, 1906-1907
  • Hinckley Herald & Journal, 1998
  • Hinckley Times, 1991, 1997
  • Holderness Advertiser, 1998
  • Holyhead Mail and Anglesey Herald, 1918
  • Horley & Gatwick Mirror, 1999
  • Huddersfield and Holmfirth Examiner, 1878
  • Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 1921, 1934, 1996
  • Hull Daily Mail, 1981
  • Irish Independent, 1932, 1941, 1948
  • Irvine Herald, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1991, 1999
  • Isle of Man Daily Times, 1907
  • Isle of Thanet Gazette and Thanet Times, 1927, 1930
  • Kensington News and West London Times, 1895, 1899, 1907
  • Kent & Sussex Courier, 1998
  • Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph, 1957
  • Kentish Gazette, 1902, 1904, 1916
  • Kidderminster Times and Advertiser for Bewdley & Stourport, 1902
  • Lanark & Carluke Advertiser, 1998
  • Leicester Daily Mercury, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1981
  • Lichfield Post, 1997
  • Liverpool Daily Post, 1960, 1975
  • Long Eaton Advertiser, 1993
  • Loughborough Echo, 1997
  • Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle, 1920, 1923, 1925, 1929, 1934, 1942
  • Macclesfield Express, 1982-1984
  • Macclesfield Times, 1927
  • Maghull & Aintree Star, 1992, 1998
  • Maidstone Telegraph, 1959
  • Manchester Metro News, 1999
  • Manchester Times, 1906
  • Medway News, 1998
  • Middlesbrough Herald & Post, 1998-1999
  • Middlesex Chronicle, 1906, 1908
  • Middlesex County Times, 1997
  • Midweek Visiter (Southport), 1997, 1999
  • Montgomery County Times and Shropshire and Mid-Wales Advertiser, 1901
  • Nantwich Guardian, 1959
  • Neath Guardian, 1992, 1999
  • Nelson Leader, 1908, 1911, 1916
  • New Observer (Bristol), 1965, 1968, 1970-1971, 1974, 1999
  • Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser, 1907
  • Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 1927
  • North Wales Weekly News, 1995
  • Northampton Herald, 1930
  • Norwood News, 1964
  • Nottingham Guardian, 1972
  • Plymouth Extra, 1998
  • Port Talbot Guardian, 1992-1993
  • Potteries Advertiser, 1998
  • Retford, Gainsborough & Worksop Times, 1982
  • Rhyl, Prestatyn Visitor, 1992
  • Rossendale Free Press, 1998
  • Royston and Buntingford Mercury, 1999
  • Rugeley Mercury, 1998
  • Runcorn & Widnes Herald & Post, 1998
  • Salford Advertiser, 1998
  • Sevenoaks Focus, 1998
  • Sleaford Target, 1999
  • Southall Gazette, 1982, 1997
  • Southern Echo, 1901
  • Southport Visiter, 1999
  • Sports Argus, 1998
  • St Neots Town Crier, 1995
  • Staines Informer, 1998-1999
  • Staines Leader, 1998
  • Stanmore Observer, 1998
  • Stockport Express Advertiser, 1999
  • Stockport Times, 1998
  • Stockton & Billingham Herald & Post, 1992, 1998
  • Suffolk and Essex Free Press, 1978
  • Sunbury & Shepperton Herald, 1997
  • Sunday Sun (Newcastle), 1978
  • Surrey Advertiser, 1960
  • Surrey Herald, 1998
  • Sussex Daily News, 1953
  • Sutton Coldfield Observer, 1998
  • Thanet Times, 1998
  • The People, 1983
  • Uttoxeter New Era, 1855, 1885
  • Uttoxeter Newsletter, 1997-1998
  • Uxbridge Leader, 1992
  • Vale Advertiser, 1992
  • Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt Weekly Telegraph, 1903, 1907
  • Walton & Weybridge Leader, 1998
  • Wembley Leader, 1992
  • Westmorland Gazette, 1905
  • Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 1998
  • Worcester Journal, 1902
  • Yorkshire Gazette, 1901

Our lovely teams here at Findmypast will be enjoying the Christmas break, and so this will be the last release of 2022. We wish you the happiest of seasons, and we can't wait to show you what we have in store for 2023.