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Embracing the 'Data Revolution': Opportunities and Challenges for Research

Using microdata samples from the 1851 and 1881 censuses of England and Wales, this article explores patterns in the employment and retirement of older men in the second half of the nineteenth century. The article argues that male labour-force participation rates were stable over these years, and indicates that the major decrease did not occur until after 1881. Despite this static picture of employment of older men, there were structural changes in the economy, demonstrated here by alterations in occupational profile. Those occupational groups shown to be in decline were more likely to have an ageing workforce. Changing age profiles of certain occupations are reported, giving evidence of deskilling and the marginalisation of older men in the workforce through technological change. This article also suggests that differences in household composition where older men were present may be related to economic activity.

Strengthening Data Security: An Holistic Approach

This article analyses the urban structure of nineteenth-century Bristol through the analysis of property surveys. Examination of a machine-readable version of a property survey for 1837 demonstrates that Bristol exhibited modern patterns of urban development as the city's medieval form was supplanted by processes associated with the segregation of class and economic activity, a functional change from a mercantile centre to one broadly based on manufacturing and services. The longitudinal implications of this change are examined using subsequent surveys for 1851 and 1871.

Historical records and the research databases of completed studies have the potential either to establish new research studies or to inform follow-up studies assessing long-term health and social outcomes. Yet, such records are at risk of destruction resulting from misconceptions about data protection legislation and research ethics. The recent destruction of the Windrush disembarkation cards, which potentially could have formed the basis of a retrospective cohort study, illustrates this risk. As organisations across Europe transition to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), this risk is being amplified due to uncertainty as to how to comply with complex new rules, and the requirement under GDPR that data owners catalogue their data and set data retention and destruction rules. The combination of these factors suggests there is a new meaningful risk that scientifically important historical records will be destroyed, despite the fact that GDPR provides a clear legal basis to hold historical records and to repurpose them for research for the public good. This letter describes this risk; details the legal basis enabling the retention and repurposing of these data; makes recommendations as to how to alleviate this risk; and finally encourages the research and research-active clinical community to contact their 'Data Protection Officers' to promote safe-keeping of historical records.