Swindon 100 years ago: Santa mayor, rat week and royalty

Well, now you can find out because a historic database that provides these details can now be publicly accessed.

A century ago, Swindon's mayor was causing anger for dressing up as Santa Claus, residents teamed up in a week-long effort to tackle a growing rat problem and Swindon's first-ever bus service was launched. 

This is all information from the 1921 Census, which Swindon Library and Information Service has just been given the chance to make available for free for the first time to local residents.

Census returns are locked for privacy in the national archives for a hundred years, with the data only used for statistical retrieval and government planning. But, after a century, the records are then made available to the public.

The 1921 Census captures detailed snapshot information about 38 million people across England and Wales, recording their name, age, family members, marital status, full address, place of birth, sex, job (including the name of their employer), and much more.

The 1921 Census banner (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

In 1921, the first Swindon bus service was launched. Reuben George also became Mayor of Swindon and, the same year, he famously dressed as Santa on a visit to every school in the Borough. 

Swindon also saw a Royal visit in 1921 when the then Prince of Wales visited the town. The Prince later became King Edward VIII who abdicated the throne in 1936.

The 1921 Census showed that despite the Great War, Swindon’s population rose sharply to 54,920 (up eight per cent), while Swindon Athletic Club was also formed and 10,000 people attended the club’s first event at the County Ground.

It was also not a good year for vermin in 1921 as Swindon held a ‘Rat Week’ to exterminate the town’s rodents.

Darryl Moody, library development and innovation manager, said: “Finally we are able to offer Swindonians the chance to explore this important historical database, which captures so many details about life in our town 100 years ago.

“And of course, because the 1931 census was destroyed in a fire, and the 1941 census was cancelled because of the Second World War, there will not be another census released until 2052 when the 1951 census will be made public.”

Access is free to library members (and library membership is free) at all five Swindon Borough Council-run core libraries (Central, Highworth, North Swindon, Park, and West Swindon).

Access is on-site only through library computers. For more information contact the Local Studies team at Central Library via: localstudies@swindon.gov.uk.