Double weddings

[Muggins in Sussex]

Unless I have gone wrong again :d, I have 2 weddings:

Beatrice Ellwood m. Frank Webb

Katie Ellwood m Wilfred J Woolrich

Both weddings are in March 1914 in Salford with the same Vol and page numbers (Vol 8d page 128). Katie was Beatrice's sister.

Could it have been a double wedding - did double weddings take place then?

Would I be able to tell this if I had the certs?

Thanks

[JayG]

My great great grandfather & his sister married their spouses on the same day in 1892, i've always assumed it was a double wedding Joan, so if it happened in 1892 then it happened in 1914 too. But just by having the same page numbers doesn't mean the Ellwood sisters married the same day, they could of married a few days apart or a few weeks apart. I can't imagine a church in Salford not being busy so I doubt the latter would apply in this case.

[Muggins in Sussex]

My great great grandfather & his sister married their spouses on the same day in 1892, i've always assumed it was a double wedding Joan, so if it happened in 1892 then it happened in 1914 too. But just by having the same page numbers doesn't mean the Ellwood sisters married the same day, they could of married a few days apart or a few weeks apart. I can't imagine a church in Salford not being busy so I doubt the latter would apply in this case.

Thanks Jay

I had wondered this because it might be quite interesting if the two sisters were very close to one another - but then, even if it were a double wedding, then I presume it could have been simply to save money

[Janet in Yorkshire]

According to Lancs BMD, both marriages took place at the same venue, Salford St Luke.
Beatrice is indexed as Ellwood and Katie as Elwood.
The actual date would appear on the certificate.

I have what appear to have been two double weddings in the same family, in the early 1800's (two sets of sisters.) Each pair of girls were married in their village church on the same day, and the grooms each acted as a witness for the other pair. Father of the bride was the other witness in each case.

Jay

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Perhaps Beatrice's wedding was already planned and then Mr Woolrich was to be home on leave, so they decided to make it a double ceremony??

Jay

[kiterunner]

Yes, they certainly had double weddings long before then; I've got a few in my tree.

[Olde Crone]

I have a few double weddings too - it not only saved money, it saved relatives having to make the journey twice and possibly have two lots of time off work in the days when a day not working meant a day's pay lost.

OC

[Kit]

My grandma and her sister had a double wedding. I had one cert but not the other but found a notice in the paper and then found a wedding photo of the 4 of them.

[Muggins in Sussex]

Many thanks everyone - it does look quite possible then

According to Lancs BMD, both marriages took place at the same venue, Salford St Luke.
Beatrice is indexed as Ellwood and Katie as Elwood.
The actual date would appear on the certificate.

Jay

Thank you Jay :) I know someone who will be very interested in that! - I am, too of course :)

[Merry]

What do you mean by a double wedding though? One after the other or both brides squeezing up the aisle at the same time like in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? I don't know how you could tell without being there?

[Muggins in Sussex]

I see what you mean Merry :d

I think I meant that just one ceremony instead of two, however they all managed to juggle about and fit in!

But I suppose that one ceremony could have been immediately after the other, so that the guests didn't all have to traipse out of the church then traipse straight back in :confused:

[Uncle John]

I certainly have one circa 1840. One happy couple (now married) were witnesses to the brother's marriage. I have one cert. for the direct ancestor but both marriages appear in the IGI on the same day.