Unfilmed 1851 census records available now

We’ve just added transcriptions and reconstructed images for around 180,000 individuals – available online for the first time – which have been retrieved from severely damaged 1851 census pages.

The records for the Manchester, Chorlton, Salford, Oldham and Ashton-Under-Lyne registration districts were water damaged many years ago due to flooding.

As a result many were too fragile to be filmed or no writing was visible, but a 14 year project by the Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society (MLFHS) has recovered information from around 82 per cent of the damaged records.

The reconstructed images follow the same layout as the originals, and where relevant include details of neighbouring households.

Read more about the restoration project

Search the reconstructed images and transcriptions for the first time now