View Full Version : Registry office marriage
How common was it in 1850? I've just had a cert arrive for one, which surprised me somewhat as it's the first one I've come across in my family to take place anywhere other than a church.
Olde Crone
31-05-11, 16:24
Very common in my family, Michael, because they were all nonconformists!
OC
Thanks - quite a few of mine were too, but they usually got married in a Methodist/Baptist church. Not sure why this pair had to be different!
Olde Crone
31-05-11, 17:45
Early on, say before about 1860-ish, mine didn't have the option of marrying in a chapel or whatever because where they worshipped was not licenced to perform marriages.
OC
Ah, that might be it then - the bride in this instance was baptised at an Independent chapel so that not being licenced for marriages seems like a decent explanation. Thanks.
Early on, say before about 1860-ish, mine didn't have the option of marrying in a chapel or whatever because where they worshipped was not licenced to perform marriages.
OC
When that was the case didn't they ever just get the registrar to attend?
Olde Crone
31-05-11, 20:48
Merry
Well, I'm not sure! Didn't the actual building have to be licenced for marriage? I have quite a few who attended a particular chapel but married in the Register Office, so for some reason the Registrar wouldn't attend the chapel to perform marriage.
OC
OC
Uncle John
31-05-11, 21:09
Well, I'm not sure! Didn't the actual building have to be licenced for marriage? I have quite a few who attended a particular chapel but married in the Register Office, so for some reason the Registrar wouldn't attend the chapel to perform marriage.
That is still the case today. The church has to hold a Registrar General's certificate for the solemnisation of marriages. And I found out last year when our church's one went missing that the Registrar General has no power to issue a duplicate. All he will provide is a letter confirming the information held at the GRO.
And the minister has to be licensed to perform marriages at that church. Which is why, if you ask a minister friend to marry you, the local minister has to perform the "legal" bit. Our church secretary is currently doing the necessary for the new minister who starts in September.
If a church doesn't hold a GRO certificate (many don't, because they have to provide safe-keeping for the marriage register), the registrar has to attend with his/her travelling register.
Thanks for the info everyone.
And the minister has to be licensed to perform marriages at that church. Which is why, if you ask a minister friend to marry you, the local minister has to perform the "legal" bit. Our church secretary is currently doing the necessary for the new minister who starts in September.
That makes sense, IIRC the Archbishop of Canterbury did most of the service for William and Kate but the Dean of Westminster had to do the legal bit.
I've only 3 register office marriages in my tree (apart from my own and my parents!). Two were gt grandfathers who married again after being widowed.
The earliest one was in 1852 - my gt x 3 grandparents James Broad and Honor Brewer Pope whose first child was baptised 3 weeks later. Perhaps the local minister refused to marry them as Honor was so clearly pregnant. Not the best name for her!
In ex's tree his gt x 2 grandparents Henry Ledger and Rose (or Rosella as she called herself) Hart were married in 1898 in the Strand Register office. I think this was because Henry was C of E but Rose was Jewish.
Olde Crone
01-06-11, 16:53
Nell
My understanding is that the Vicar of one's parish church cannot legally refuse to marry a couple, although mine did on the grounds that I did not attend the parish church!
OC
The earliest in my tree was in 1905 - my great grandparents, who got married in Hackney RO (although they lived in Islington) after the birth of their third child. Her younger brother and sister also got married in ROs after that. The disappointment for me is that I don't get their signatures - although it's a step up from her parents who didn't marry at all....
Olde Crone
02-06-11, 09:18
Asa
If you ordered their marriage cert from the local RO and asked specifically for a photocopy rather than a written copy, then you would get their signatures.
OC
Thanks OC, I hadn't thought of that - I don't know if Hackney supply certs but I will look:-)
edit - They do!
OC
A friend of mine found that her gt grandparents, from Hertfordshire married in London. Gt gran was pregnant and the vicar refused to allow her into the church to be married, allegedly. Of course it might be that she didn't want the neighbours gossiping about her, though I'm sure they did anyway! The vicar was quite obliging in baptising her baby!
Olde Crone
03-06-11, 16:23
Nell
Possibly my information dates to pre-registration days, when the only place you could marry was in the C of E church.
OC
Sue at the seaside
04-06-11, 10:34
The earliest in my tree was in 1905 - my great grandparents, who got married in Hackney RO (although they lived in Islington) after the birth of their third child. Her younger brother and sister also got married in ROs after that. The disappointment for me is that I don't get their signatures - although it's a step up from her parents who didn't marry at all....
Both my parents and inlaws married at Hackney RO and I have their signatures on the certs. I needed a copy of my birth cert a few years ago and Dad just went along and got one for me from the town hall, so I'm sure they must be able to supply one.
Shouldn't that be Register Office ?
It's Saturday and I'm bored :)
Olde Crone
04-06-11, 14:12
*OC takes a very deep breath*
Rachel, when one is discussing REGISTER OFFICE marriages, I think that all but the most concrete pedant would accept RO as an abbreviation within the thread.
*Marches triumphantly off thread*
OC
*OC takes a very deep breath*
Rachel, when one is discussing REGISTER OFFICE marriages, I think that all but the most concrete pedant would accept RO as an abbreviation within the thread.
*Marches triumphantly off thread*
OC
:D I wuz complaining about the thread title :)
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