THE CENSUS 1801

At the end of the 18th century no one knew the total population of the British Isles, but there were very pressing reasons to find out.

‘The first income tax was announced in 1798 to pay for the Napoleonic Wars’

At the time the country was facing significant challenges. War with France had already consumed the 1790s, and would last until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 gave a temporary respite. This major series of wars fought over vast distances required hundreds of thousands of men on sea and land and a huge industrial support network providing arms, uniforms, food and equipment. The supply was hampered by the fact that decision-makers did not know what