Parents not Married

[Lisajb]

Could anyone make a guess as to this name?  I thought it was Rees Thomas but would appreciate a second opinion.

[lizdb]

Its a bit small, but I would say most like Rees.
Other things it might be include Miles, or Silas?

[Lisajb]

The daughter (whose marriage certificate this is) gives her place of birth as Carmarthen on various English census (she married in Bristol and stayed there afterwards), which made me originally think the father was Rees, but every time I look at it I think "I'm really not sure!"

[janan]

Could well be Rees, but the only thing I can say for sure is that it ends in es
Can you not find him on censuses with his daughter?

Jan

[Lisajb]

No luck at all, I'm afraid Jan, with the census.  I have found her in 1871, 1881 and 1891, the first two with husband and the last as a widow, giving place of birth Carmarthenshire, Gloucestershire and Carmarthenshire respectively, but cannot seem to find her prior to her marriage in 1841, 51 or 61. 

I found a possible baptism on familysearch for a Harriet Thomas or Lewis, father Rees Thomas and mother Mary Lewis in December 1831, but even using the family members details as well, I cannot find them, in either England or Wales.  Probably doing it wrong!

[carol8353]

Can you scan it to a higher resolution to make the image more legible?

[Ruskie]

It could be Rees, but the R is a bit odd.

I don't suppose this girl had any siblings whose marriage certificates you could purchase to see if father's name is any clearer?

Did you purchase this marriage certificate from the GRO? If so I believe you can also purchase the certificate from the local register offices - these are the originals whereas the GRO are copies, so filled in by someone else. If she married in Bristol you might have to ask for help working out where to request a copy of the original certificate (which should also contain the signatures or marks of the happy couple and witnesses). (hope I'm not leading you up the garden path with this advice - I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.  )

[Lisajb]

Will have a go at scanning it at a higher res later, not entirely confident about using my scanner though!

I've not looked for siblings so far, there are probably hundreds of Thomas births in Carmarthenshire in that time frame.  Still, if that's what it takes...

The cert did come from the GRO. The marriage took place in the Parish Church, Parish of St Nicholas, Bristol, in 1865, if anyone can point me in the right direction?

[janan]

Are there anymore capital R's on the cert to compare?

The 1831 Carmarthen St Peter's baptism image has the extra info following info

Harriet daughter of Rees Thomas St Ishmael Farmer by Mary Lewis Lammas St Spinster

Does that match with his occupation on the marriage cert?
I wonder if he and Mary did marry?

Jan