Tracing family history has become a popular hobby thanks to the many TV shows of a similar nature.

Now, Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre (MALSC) is offering the opportunity to buy 1911 census vouchers to help research their own families.

The vouchers will allow people to search, download and print pages from the 1911 census. To search the site is free but to view a record you need to use the vouchers. Every hit deducts money from the voucher.

The official home of the 1911 census for England and Wales is www.1911census.co.uk powered by family history website http://www.findmypast.com/home.jsp in association with the national archives.

MALSC is based in the Clocktower building, Civic Centre, Strood and is open Mondays 9am to 5pm, Tuesdays 9am to 6pm, Thursdays and Fridays 9am to 5pm, Saturdays 9am to 4pm. It is closed on Wednesdays.

For more details call 01634 332714.