The National Registration Act of 1939 was accompanied by the creation of the National Register.
With War having been declared on 3rd September, it was just 3 weeks later that 65,000 designated enumerators began capturing details of every man, woman and child in England and Wales – a total of 41 million individuals.
On 29th September information was collected that comprised
- Name
- Sex
- Date of birth
- Occupation
- Address
- Marital status
The Identity Cards were issued “on the spot” by filling in the appropriate details on a blank buff-coloured card.
The National Archive records the fact “the information was used to produce identity cards and, once rationing was introduced in January 1940, to issue ration books. Information in the Register was also used to administer conscription and the direction of labour, and to monitor and control the movement of the population caused by military mobilisation and mass evacuation.”
The card then had to be carried at all times – until 1952.
The 1939 National Register is now partially available for Public Viewing.
The Image: IWM (Art.IWM PST 3372) shown has been made available by the Imperial War Museum for “Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.”