Maybole marriage - Murdoch and Kennedy

[bigt]

I am trying to find a marriage believed to have happened in Maybole prior to 1812.  This is for a Canadian, who is trying to get a link with his family and my wife's.

The info he has is:

It is between an Andrew Murdoch born 1783 at Bellston, Ochiltree, died 1835 at Maybole, and Margaret Kennedy, born 1783 at Skipperknowe of Blainfield, Kirkoswald. They had 7 children, first born being John Murdoch born c1812 at Maybole.

Cannot find any OPR marriages recorded, and the Kirk Session Records for Maybole, held at Kilmarnock, are not available at present for public or staff at the archives.

Other than Register House, Edinburgh, is there any other source to find this marriage?

It may not have been recorded anyway.

Thanks

Tom

[JMStrachan]

Have you searched the OPR records on ScotlandsPeople? They are more accurate than the ones on FamilySearch.

The most likely thing, if it's not in the OPR, is that:
- it failed to be recorded (by no means unknown back then as the minister travelled to the marriage and had to remember to pass the information onto the parish clerk)
- it was recorded but that page of the OPR has faded, been lost, been eaten by mice, or whatever
- the couple weren't Church of Scotland
- the had an informal marriage (which was perfectly legal in Scotland)

Sad but true, unfortunately. The Kirk Session records are unlikely to record the marriage, unless the couple concerned were interrogated by the kirk elders for obvious signs of the bride being pregnant.