(another missive from Plague Towers)
Find My Past is my family tree weapon of choice. Recently FMP announced they have exclusive use of the 1921 Census. Given that the census is a public document, I’m not too sure how that arrangement came about, but nevertheless…
Using FMPs 1921 Census data has been interesting. I’ve been able to put some more detail on the family tree. But I’m very sparing in how I use it because – despite the fact that I’m paying FMP for their services – accessing the 1921 Census data is a premium service. Yes, that’s right. I have to pay £2.50 for each and every 1921 family record that I access (even though that family record might turn out to be a dud; i.e. not an actual family record at all).
On a couple of different levels… this stinks.
Indeed it does!
I myself wondered the exact same thing: how can they charge for accessing information that is now in the public domain?
I haven’t paid anything, in the hope that once the initial excitement has died down, they will drop the price or make it freely available.
That might take so long to happen, I might have to leave it to the next generation to pick up.
I expect the fee is for the digitalised record. The ‘exclusive’ arrangement probably has an expiry; I can’t see Ancestry and all the others sitting taking this sitting down.