Filling the Gap: Tracing Northern Ireland Lives Without the 1926 Census

Although the census itself is unavailable, a range of alternative sources — often called census substitutes — can help reconstruct lives in the mid-1920s. These include:

• Church records
• School registers
• Street directories
• Will indexes
• The 1939 Registers

The 1939 Registers are less well known but are particularly valuable. Compiled during the Second World War to issue identity cards for rationing, they provide a snapshot of individuals and households just over a decade after the missing 1926 census. While access is restricted under a 100-year rule, relatives can request information from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) under the Data Protection Act.

One individual who would have appeared in the lost 1926 Census is the Belfast-born comedian Frank Carson, famous for his catchphrases “It’s a cracker!” and “It’s the way I tell ’em!”

The 1939 Registers offer a useful way to begin tracing his early life. His personal details are recorded as Francis Carson, born on 09 November 1926. His place of residence is cited as 94 Corporation Street, Belfast, and he is indicated as attending St Patrick’s School on Donegall Street.

The register also provides details of his household:

• John Carson, his father, a bill poster (born 13 July 1901)
• Josephine Carson, his mother, a housewife (born 18 July 1909)

This approach — starting with the most recent reliable records and working backwards — is a cornerstone of good genealogical practice.

Armed with this information, the next step is to turn to church records. These reveal that Frank’s parents were married at the Roman Catholic Church of City Quay, Dublin, on 17 February 1924. At the time, John Carson’s occupation was recorded as a soldier.

The marriage record also introduces an earlier generation:

• Hugh Carson, a carder
• James Augusta, a painter

A carder, as noted in historical records, worked in the textile industry, preparing wool fibres for spinning—an occupation common in Ireland’s earlier domestic and industrial textile production.

Further digging uncovers a baptismal record for John Carson at 25 Scotch Street, listing his parents as Hugh Carson and Cecilia (née Creaney).

As is often the case in genealogical research, the records do not always agree. The 1939 Register gives John Carson’s date of birth as 13 July, while the church record records it as 15 July. Such discrepancies are not unusual and highlight the importance of consulting multiple sources and cross-referencing information carefully.

Our second case study is Ruby Murray who was one of the most popular performers in Britain and Ireland during the 1950s and who enjoyed success in the UK Singles charts with hit songs “Softly Softly” and “Heartbeat”. New Musical Express named her Britain's favourite female singer of 1955. Ruby’s name appears in the 1939 Register as (Ruby) Florence Murray, born on 29 March 1935. Her address is given as 84 Moltke Street, Belfast and she attends Broadway Primary School, Belfast. Her parents are cited as Daniel Murry – a Luggage Man with the Steamship Co. Donegall Quay & Winnifred Murray, a Housewife.

By checking the Broadway Primary School girls register (SCH/601/1/8), we uncover another date inconsistency. The entry records Ruby Murray of 84 Moltke Street as a presbyterian daughter of a docker and being registered at the school on 15 August 1939. However, her date of birth is listed as 12 August 1934.  

While the absence of the 1926 Census for Northern Ireland is keenly felt, it does not mark the end of the road for researchers. By piecing together evidence from alternative sources, it is possible to reconstruct household histories and rediscover the stories of individuals who might otherwise remain hidden.

In this way, even without the census itself, the past can still be brought vividly back to life — one record at a time.