"Mummy, who used to live in our house?!"

[batey]

Said dd1, 6 1/2. So how do I find out? Our house is almost 100yrs old and it'd be interesting to find out. But where do I start? I've tried the National Statistics and Public Records Office sites, but what I need is cencus information. Anyone any idea?TIA.

Don't really know, but I'll be watching this thread with interest, as I would love to know more about the history of our house, which is also around 100 years old.

When we moved the time before last the solicitor gave us loads of papers to do with our house that the building society didn't want to keep. We had to hold onto them and pass them onto the next people. It gave details of the house (built circa 1950) from original plans and all owners since including how much each paid for the house.

At our local libary there is a poster up on the wall giving the website address for the census taken in 1900 which would tell you everything you want to know.

Of course I can't actually remember that address but maybe your library would have the same poster.

Hoorah....found it!

here it is

Census information used not to be released until 100 years after the date of the census, batey (used to work in a library which had copies of all released censuses on microfiches and lots of other genealogical resources!).We had hopeful people coming in weekly to see if the 1891 had been released... So you may not find much that way, apart from 1901. Much better if possible to consult the house deeds, although I think you'll be fortunate to get as much info off them as Daisy did.
Also worth checking what street directories were published for your area (London and some other cities are fabulously documented up to about 1940, smaller urban centres and rural areas less well so. Street directories listed residents by street - but...only really covered middle and upper class areas in detail for private households.
Are you in London? Then the best place to go is Guildhall Library in Aldermanbury in the City. People do actually make trips from all over the UK to use this library for family history, but for building history it is a very good starting point for Londoners. The staff are very knowledgable and will give you pointers as to where else to try. All London boroughs have a local history/heritage library and records office and so do most other local authorities. Local studies librarians REALLY know their stuff
Finally, Julie Myerson's latest book is actually just what you are aiming to do. She traced the history of her oldish, not hugely posh, west London house and managed to identify the numerous residents over the years - and their stories too. She has done her share of interviews etc to promote the book, which sounds fascinating, so there might be some tips that she passes on if you try searching a few newspaper websites.
Good luck and let us know if you uncover anything exciting!

The 1901 cencus was quite easy to find, but they'd only built the first 10 houses of our streed then, ours didn't get built to 1911. They do a cencus every 10yrs don't they? You'd think it'd be relatively easy to find, unless I'm just being dim which is quite likely!

Oh Marina beat me to it. Was just going to say Julie Myerson...

Won't bloody work on my address though!

Posts crossed. Heard her on R4 reading from her book and it was fascinating. Unfortunately not in London but South west. Trouble is dd1 wants to help and I don't want to get her too revved up until there is someyhing to help with. But I'll keep searching.

Looking forward to this question as our answer is...

cows!

census records for your area should be held at the local library. The staff there will be able to help you look up the census records. But census records are only released after 100 years, so as to protect the rights of people listed on them that are still alive. So the 1901 census is the most recent census that's been released to the public and that was on January 1st 2002 next one to be released will be the 1911 in 2012.

My dd asked me this question and I was able to tell her exactly who has lived in our flat, well my granny was as she lives in the flat above and has done all her life, was born there, so she's known all the people who ever lived here.

Yes, this is v. interesting - my dd wants to know the answers to this question too. Our house is 300 plus years old and was (not surprisingly) 2 farmhouses when built. They were joined together about 100 years later and then a Georgian facade added later. There is a drawing of my house in the local museum. Word has it that Dante Rosetti may have lived here as this is Pre-Raphaelite country.

The Friends Reunited site has a section for your street,maybe someone on there could help

Oh, I've just got the names of the people who lived here in 1901 - house built 1898 so presume they were the first.

Realised house built in 1902 (engagement ring 1911!), so just missed the 1901 cencus. Off on hol on Sat so this will have to go on hold for a week.Library next stop I think.

Just had to do a quick report back, as dds and I stopped off in the Library for a quick look today, mid last minute holiday shopping. And discovered the first person to live in our house was a stationer, then a policeman and his wife and daughter Mabel. Then we searched our mortgage deeds at home and found out some more clues. Dd1 (and I) fascinated. Also found amongst our documents the policemans will, with an inventory of their belongings. Makes very humbling reading thinking of all the things we have today.

Anyway dds and I have much more seaarching to do when we get home, but v. excited now!!

Our house is old, over 300 years and used to be a farm and the main meeting place for landowners for this part of Yorkshire. I found out it's history from a local book, visits to the local archive office (your main library will have this if you don't have an archive office) and simply by asking local people. You can also try your local parish church who will hold records... all takes time... but it's interesting along the way.HTH

We had a similar experience to Daisy1999 and our solicitor gave us all the old conveyancing documents dating back to when the house was first built. If you're getting really stuck you could check with the solicitors or building society just in case they have any documentation they'd like to clear out.