The 1939 Register: “The Wartime Domesday Book”
2 November 2015 was an auspicious day for family and local historians. The 1939 Register, known
colloquially as The Wartime Domesday Book, was released.
The Register was a reaction by the British Government to the threat of war. Forty-one million people
were listed by 65,000 enumerators. Their records showed the name, full date of birth, address, marital
status and the specific occupation of the vast majority of the population. It was in effect an interim
census.
The so-called ‘Hundred Years’ privacy rule means that unless an individual noted in the Register died
after 1939, their details cannot be viewed if they were born after 1915. This means that in the
example and the schedule below, if the record of a household has a note that the details of a member
or members are officially ‘closed’ and have been redacted. This refers to individual(s) who are aged
twenty-four or under.
The Register was used to issue National Identity cards, for rationing and, when WW2 ended, to set up
the National Health Service. As a consequence, some details such as addresses were updated.
Single women who married between the summer of 1939 and around 1945 also had their details
altered. For example, in the piece below, my aunt Margaret (‘Maggie’) Wray’s name has been altered
to Whitby after she married Ron Whitby in the latter part of 1939. Likewise, my mother’s name was
also altered from Mills to Wray after her marriage to Dad in 1945.
Below is a sample of the Register which shows the residents at Chequers Cottages, Preston including
my father, Sam Wray, and his mother, Emily.
The reasons that folk were so enthused by the release of the Register were that the 1921 census will
probably not be released until 2022; the 1931 census was destroyed; there was no census in 1941
with Britain in the grip of war and the 1951 census will not be available for more than thirty-five years.
Therefore, the Register is an important snapshot of who lived where at a time when there are as yet
no census details, albeit it is basically a searchable data base like a national electoral register which
includes occupations and full dates of birth.
In the case of Preston, I have copies of several years of electoral registers. These include the records
from 1930 and 1951. (The electoral registers for the mid-1930’s are at the British Library, not
Hertfordshire Archives.) By checking these registers it is possible to say where most of the inhabitants
of the village were living in 1939. As viewing fifteen households costs almost £55 - and there were
more than seventy households at Preston in 1939 - it is cheaper to drive to the National Archives
(where the full details of the Register can be viewed for free!) than downloading the entire Register of
the village now to discover the occupations of villagers.
Here is the complete 1939 Register of the people of Preston who were living within the parish
boundary of 2025 (there were fifty-one names redacted probably because they were born after 1915):
WATSON
WATSON
ALLBON
WOODCOCK
DALE
DALE
DALE
PETERS
PETERS
JEEVES
JEEVES
JEEVES
PALMER
PALMER
WRAY
WRAY
WRAY/WHITBY
ARMSTRONG
ARMSTRONG
NEWELL
SMITH
SMITH
HAMMOND
HAMMOND
SAUNDERS
FOX
FOX
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
CURRELL
BLANCHARD
BLANCHARD
RUNDLE
SUNDERLAND
SUNDERLAND
SUNDERLAND
BROWN
BROWN
BROWN/FULLER
BROWN
BROWN
Vacant
BURR
BURR
BURR
BURR
AUBURN
AUBURN
AUBURN
AUBURN
INBREY
INBREY
INBREY/SENTENCE
INBREY
HEDLEY
HEDLEY
HINE
WALLER
WALLER
MIDDLEDITCH
MIDDLEDITCH
MIDDLEDITCH
MORRISS
MORRISS
HANDLEY/HOLTON
MORRIS
WEBB
WEBB
HEDLEY
HEDLEY
MILES
DAVIS
DAVIS/PALMER
NASH
NASH
WARDELL
COE
PRYOR
PETERS
CANNON
CANNON
WORTHINGTON
WORTHINGTON
WORTHINGTON
WORTHINGTON
HODGES
DEWAR/MULLINEY
MOORE/TYLER
CHALKLEY
CHALKLEY
SMITH
AYRES
WHITE
WHITE
TOMLIN
TOMLIN
BIRKMAN
BIRKMAN
AYRES
HUTCHINS
HUTCHINS
BERRY
BERRY
PETERS
BUNYAN
CURRELL
CURRELL
CURRELL
CURRELL/PEARCE
CURRELL
CURRELL/FOLBIGG
PHIPPS
PERRY
PERRY
PERRY
PERRY/ROE
DOBBS
DOBBS
DOBBS
DOBBS
CHRISTMAS
DOBBS/CHRISTMAS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
JENKINS
GARNER
GARNER
GARNER
PETERS
PETERS
PETERS
SHARP
SHARP
SHARP
PETERS
WHITING
WHITING
WHITING
GRICE
CROOK
CROOK
CROOK
BAIRD
BAIRD
BAIRD
DARTON
DARTON
COPP
DARTON
DARTON
WHITE
COLEMAN
ROBERTSON
CARR
CARR
PETERS
PETERS
PETERS
SEEBOHM
SEEBOHM
PATERNOSTER
COOPER/BAKER
ANTELL/BESLEY
PEPPER/WOODS
POWLEY
SARGENT
SARGENT
PEACHMENT
HAIN
GARNER
GARNER
GARNER
LAMBERT
LAMBERT
BURCH/WILLIAMS
KIMBER
KIMBER/GILHAM
KIMBER
KIMBER
FEW
FEW
NESBITT
BROWN
BISHOP
FROST
ANDREWS
ANDREWS
CRAWLEY
CRAWLEY/MARLOW
SHARP
SHARP
GARNER
GARNER
GARNER
WOODHAMS
WOODHAMS
WOODHAMS
JACKSON
JACKSON
MOODNICK/MOODY
FOWLER
HAMMOND
HAMMOND
HAMMOND
HAMMOND/WALKER
HAMMOND
HAMMOND
WALKER
WALKER
WALKER
WALKER
STEVENS
LONGLEY
LONGLEY
BRYAN
WHITE
PETERS
PETERS
PETERS/BISHOP
STONE/DARTON
PALMER
PALMER
PALMER
PALMER/SALISBURY
PALMER/RAYNER
PALMER
HALL
CRAWLEY
CRAWLEY
RICHARDS
RICHARDS
HARPER
HARPER
HARPER
HARPER/NEWMAN
HARPER
MAYBRICK
MAYBRICK
ROGERS
ROGERS
KING
KING
KING
KING
PRAIN
WILTON
BEAUMONT
WOOLDRIDGE
LUCKY
FRUNGHAM
PARK
NEWT
PARKS/JONES
CARTER
Sydney W
Doris K
Lizzie
Pamela
Frank T
Gladys
John P
Thomas
Annie M
Amos
George
Sarah
Arthur
Lizzie
Emily
Sam
Margaret
Henry J
Gertrude K
Leonard T
Leonard C
Ada L
Katie
Herbert W
Dennis
John Thomas
Lucy J
Herbert
Phyllis
Frank
Maggie
Willie
Ernest
Lizzie
Richard
Violet
Frank
Frederick O
Eva Constance
Gladys D
Frank T
Lucy K
Edward M
John B
Phyllis R
Jocelyn R
James B
Edith L J
Frederick
Daisy Ellen
Eric H
Betty A
Arthur B
Melinda
Sydney B
Owen F
Arthur
Alice
Joan
Evelyn J
Thomas E
Alice R
Harry
Bertram G
Phyllis J
Philip D
Ethel M
Roger J
Owen A
Ellen W
Rosie V
Michael O
Ephraim R
Elizabeth E
James E
Martha L
William K
Evelyn M
Elizabeth E
George W
Bertha E
Mary
Raymond
Ralston de Vins
Annie C
Ernest F
Florence M
Harry
Margaret E
Rose M I
Allan
Jeanette I
Josephine J
Irene May
William A
Harriet
Emma
Rosa M
Arthur W
Mary L
Harold
Nora M
Henry
Peter
Arthur
Reginald C T
Eva C B
Arthur J
Kate
George H
Ellen
Arthur
Annie
Patricia E M
Violet M
Alec A
Margery
Donald
Ernest
Kathleen A
George J S
Edith M
Arthur
Agnes D
Dorothy R
Frederick A
Walter H
Doreen L
William
Minnie
Arthur
Horace
George W
Nellie
George D
Hubert T
Eliza
James A
Percy J
Lucy J L
Doris L E
Nora E
Frederick G
Francis A
Thomas F
Jack
Harold R
Alice S
Primrose
William
Jeanie
George
William A
Emily
Roy C
Charles E
Gladys
Gladys
Una
Mary
Robert E
Joan
Leonard C
William J
Florence E
Hugh E
Marjorie
Ellen
Edith M
Dorothy M
Barbara W
Lesley W J
Stanley E
Lily
Jeanette A
Leonard H
John Thomas
Daisy
William A
Reginald G
Beatrice M
Olwen G
Thomas
Minnie
Reginald T
Thomas S
May C A
Alan J
Emily E
Hannah M
Lilian
Clara S
Frederick W
Daisy M
George
Lilian M
Herbert
Emily
Sydney John
Ivy C
Robert
William J
Mary
Brian William
John
Clara S
Joseph
Gilbert R
Ernest W
Evelyn J
Walter A
Monica
Kenneth E
Pamela
Frederick
Alice
Violet A
William F
Percy
Alfred B T
Caroline
Clarice M
Edwin J
Walter C
Philadelphia C
Queenie
Joan A
Arthur J
Alice M
William C
Reuben L
Winifred A
Kathleen M
Samuel
Robert
Louisa
Cuthbert R
Lily Eckett
Frank
Narid
Edward A
Doris
Cynthia E
Frederick H
Clarice
Constance M
Kenneth F
Arthur W
Ellinor Catherine
Anthony W A
Walter Lewis
Vyvyen A
Cynthia M
Marjorie
Alison
Elizabeth A
Margaret E
Helen
Alison
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1930
Preston House,
1 Chequers Cottages,
Chequers Lane
2 Chequers Cottages
3 Chequers Cottages
4 Chequers Cottages
5 Chequers Cottages
Elm Cottage,
Chequers Lane
13 Council Cottages,
Chequers Lane
14 Council Cottages
New Bungalow,
Chequers Lane
Castle Farm
17 Chequers Lane
Rose Cottage
The Wilderness
Pond Farm
Offley Holes Farm
Offley Holes Lodge
Temple End
Wellhead Farm
1 Holly Cottages,
Back Lane
Greenfields,
Back Lane
Keepers Cottage,
Kings Walden Road
Ye Olde Bakery,
Church Road
St Martins Place,
Church Road
Red Lion inn
Crunnells Green
Laburnum Lodge
The Laburnums
Fig Tree Cottage
Vine Cottage
Estate Office
1 Crunnells Green
2 Crunnells Green
3 Crunnells Green
8 Holly Cottages
7 Holly Cottages
6 Holly Cottages
5 Holly Cottages
4 Holly Cottages
3 Holly Cottages
2 Holly Cottages
1 Hitchwood Cottages
2 Hitchwood Cottages
3 Hitchwood Cottages
4 Hitchwood Cottages
Hitchwood Cottages
1 Hitchwood
2 Hitchwood
1 Home Farm, Dairy
2 Home Farm
Kiln Wood Cottage
Crunnells Green House
No 1 School
Bungalow
No 2 School Bnglw
Poynders End
The Garage,
Poynders End
Poynders End Farm
The Lodge 1,
Temple Dinsley
The Lodge 2,
Temple Dinsley
Old Post Office,
(aka Spindle Cottage)
The Chequers Inn
12 Council Cottages
11 Council Houses,
Chequers Lane
10 Council Houses,
Chequers Lane
9 Council Cottages
8 Council Cottages
7 Council Cottages,
Chequers Lane
6 Chequers Lane
5 Council Cottages,
Chequers Lane
2 Council Cottages
4 Council Cottages,
Chequers Lane
3 Council Cottages
1 Council Cottages
Wain Wood Cottage
Preston Hill Farm
Preston Hill Farm Cott
Princess Helena Coll.
SURNAME FORENAME Yr Brn ADDRESS OCCUPATION
Sub-branch manager,
insurance (Flying Officer
WW1)
Police constable
Ag lab retired
Jobbing gardener
General farm labourer
Roadman
General farm labourer
Capstain lathe operator
(aircraft)
Gardener
Sub postmistress
Agricultural tractor driver
Woodman and farm lbr
Railway porter
Retired coach builder
Pigman
Agricultural estate labourer
Domestic worker
Leather dresser
Horseman
Road labourer
Farm labr
General manager -
Manufacturing
Prvte Secrtry/book-keeper
Carpenter
Carpenter chargehand
S/E Farmer
Farm labr
Farm labr
General labr
Bread baker
Calf rearer/pig breeder
S/E Farmer
Dressmaker
Upholsterer
Chauffeur and tractor
driver, ARP AFS
Schoolmaster
Bricklayer ARP Warden
Gamekeeper
Master baker
Delivering bread
Retired grocer and PO wrkr
Licensee
Builder/foreman retired
Housekeeper
Drapery shop assistant
Self-emplyd bricklayer
Old age pensioner
Land surveyor retired
Housekeeper
Farmer retired ARP
S/E haulage contractor
Shopkeeper
Secretary on ag estate
Secretary on ag estate
Gardener/poultry man
Household duties
Household duties
Pig herdsman
L.N.E.R labr
Incapacitated
Gardeners boy
Farm labr
Bank Manager
Sheet metal wrkr
Timber carter
Builders labr
Shop assistant
General labr
Van boy - wine mrchts
Shop assistant -rfrshmts
Cowman
Dom Servant
Baker’s assistant
Rtrd farm labr
Gardener
Farm labr
Cowman
Plumber
Gardener
Gardener
Cowman
Book Binder Prting Wrks
Domestic duties
Cowman
Lorry driver (agrcltrl)
Cowman
Student of singing
Head herdsman
Farm foreman
At school
Tractor Driver Frm
Housekper Land Army
Land Army
Radiographic Stdnt
Milk delvry driver
Farm lbr
Gardener
Herts banker
Unpaid dom services
Cook
Parlour maid
House maid
Kitchen maid
Schoolmaster LCC
Chauffeur/handyman
School cleaner
Farm foreman
Dairy maid
Joiner
Chauffeur
Domestic worker
Domestic worker
Water engineer
Drilling m/c operator
Apprentice
Retired
Gardener
Gardener
Gardener
Woodman
Builders labr
Retired gardener
Heavy worker
Farm carter
General labr (HCC)
Invalid
Horseman
Sheet metal worker
Retd estate electrician
Confectionary Shop Asstnt
First hand grocery dept
Dairy maid
Steam roller driver
News vendor
Disabled
Bricklayer
Capstan lathe hand
Game keeper
Hairdresser
Farmer
Cowman
Cowman
Head mistress
School teacher
Bursar/secretary
School teacher
House keeper
School matron
School matron
Cook
Cook
Student
Note: married names of females are shown after the forward slash