Hill/Aitchison Marriage Record Query

[DavidJP]

Hi all,

Hope someone can help with this as i'm a little confused!

My 4x gt grandparents James Hill married Elizabeth Aitchison on 8th April 1803 in Dunbar. A couple of days ago i came across the record on freereg & its this record that has left me a little confused!

The Groom's parish is given as Dunbar & the brides parish is given as Morebattle, the abode section for both is blank. Does bride & groom's parish refer to parish of birth or abode?

Also in the notes section it has 'reg procl' written in it, what does this mean?

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

David

[MonicaL]

Hi David

Also in the notes section it has 'reg procl' written in it, what does this mean?

This I would say is abbreviated for registered proclaimed. This will be relating to the calls of the marrige banns and noted by the clerk that the banns were read (proclaimed) correctly I would say.

Have a read through here for background:

Nor did the registration of marriage banns – in other words, of the intention to marry – represent the actual number of marriages. If a man lived in a different parish to that of his prospective wife, the banns required to be proclaimed in both parishes, and were thus recorded twice; but the marriage would only be celebrated in one parish or, if the couple changed their minds, might not take place at all...

Among his other duties, the kirk session clerk was expected to enter baptisms, burials, and proclamations of marriage banns in the parish register, but the quality and regularity of the registers varied greatly from parish to parish and they were not always carefully preserved...

Taken from here www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2576279/

Monica 

[DavidJP]

Hi Monica,

Many thanks indeed for your reply, its much appreciated!

Most interesting indeed & certainly makes sense.

Kind regards

David

[Woodsd]

David

Rather than relying on freereg, I suggest that you use www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk to look at the original entry in the Old Parish Register.  While using Scotland's People will cost a few pounds, the original entry might give you a bit more information, such as James Hills' occupation.  Also, I wonder if Morebattle is correct.  While Morebattle is a place near Kelso, I wonder if Newbattle in Midlothian might be the place.  Checking the original entry would confirm.

Hope that's some help.

David

[DavidJP]

Hi David,

Many thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

I shall definately use scotlandspeople as soon as i can afford too, on the freereg record James occupation is given as labourer.

I shall certainly keep Newbattle in mind, however i feel that Morebattle is probably correct as the family are in the Morebattle/Yetholm/Carham areas later on.

Many thanks again.

Kind regards

David