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Marriage certificate query

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tboo | 18:29 Thu 26th Feb 2009 | Genealogy
4 Answers
I have purchased the marriage certificate of my ggg grandparents dated 1859 to get the father of the lady but neither have a father listed.
I have found the marriage date of the mans parents so was a little taken a back that he hadn't listed his dad.
Why would none be listed?
Thanks
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it could be a number of scenarios.
Firstly, were their ages recorded as 'of full age'? This means they were over 21 and did not need parental consent to marry but it could also mean they lied and had eloped. Were they married in the brides' Parish? It could be that she was actually illegitimate and the groom did not put his father's name on the banns to make her feel equal ,
Did they marry by registrars license in a non conformist church or catholic Church? maybe again the parents did not approve.
Did they marry in a register office? is their condition given as batchelor and spinster or widow/widower?
Who were the whitnesses? anyone with the same name as either of the couple? usually it would be, if it wasn't it may mean they were estranged from their families.
The clues are in there somewhere.
Where were they both on the 1851 census before they married? Were they with family or in service?
Where did they live on the 1861 census? Did any of their family live near them then?
the groom may have been brought up as the son of his Mum's husband, but he may not have been the natural son, have you found his baptism? if he was born after July 1837 he may even be registered with the GRO. If he was not baptised as the natural son of the man who brought him up he would not have perhaps felt good about listing him as his father in a church marriage register.
If you study each part of the certificate and relate it to other sources you may find a reason this happened.
Question Author
Hi dot.
Thanks for the reply
I'm rather new to the genealogy game so your excellent comments will be taken on board for future searching.
The certificate listed his age as 26, bachelor and a labourer, her age as 27, spinster and a servant . They were married in the local church of the parish she lived in at the time as she was born elsewhere. Witnesses, are I think, his brother as it's the same surname and a lady who has signed it in his mothers maiden name so it could be an aunt.
I am unable to find anything relating to her on the 1841 or 1851 census and every census after are as a couple.
Will now have to have a detailed look at any baptisms in the general area of her birth.
I will keep searching and hopefully will find something soon
Thanks again
The witness could also be his widowed mother who has reverted to using her maiden name. Try to find her on the earlier censuses to establish her identity.
Question Author
Hi Sigma
I did think it was his mum but then discounted it because as I had previously found out his parents were married I thought why would she have used her maiden name.
I will have a look on the census relating to her now to see if she was widowed at the time of his marriage.
Thanks for that

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