Deceased father of the bride on marriage certificate

[Wrexthedragon]

Hi, I have just been on a wild goose chase (not the first )! I have a marriage certificate dated 1873 with the father of the bride (including his “mark”) on it.
I have been searching for the father on the 1871 census (and earlier) only to find that he died sometime between 1855 and 1861!
Is this common? I guess I can understand the father being mentioned but I’m surprised his mark has been put there be someone.
I will not make the assumption in future that a parent mentioned on a marriage certificate was still alive at the time of the marriage. It’s sure to save me hours of unnecessary searching! Lesson learnt! Hope it helps others too 

[KGarrad]

 
The only signatures (or marks) on a marriage certificate are:
the bride and groom
the witnesses
the registrar/priest/vicar

Father of the bride doesn't sign, or mark?

[Gaie]

Hi

If it's a witness signature (X), could it be the brother of the bride who had the same first name as the father?

KR
Gaie

[Wrexthedragon]

Good theory but there wasn't a brother with the same name as the father in this case.
Edward Hayes (father of the bridegroom was also deceased and a witness signed in his absence.
See attached scan of certificate

[AntonyMMM]

 Robert Jones must have been a different person - you can't witness on behalf of someone else. So if it is him he hadn't already died, but it isn't uncommon for the word "deceased" not to be shown - so he may well have died before the wedding and this is another relative.

[JenB]

If the bride's father had died before the marriage he (obviously) can't have been present to witness to it.

So the person who did witness must have been someone else who coincidentally had the same name. You can't be a witness on behalf of someone else.

[Gaie]

Hi

The witnesses who both signed with an X appear to be Robert Jones and Emma Paydd..ch.

KR
Gaie

[Wrexthedragon]

This is getting over-confusing. Putting it simply.....

Emma Prydderch was a witness for the bridegroom as his father (Edward Hayes) was deceased
Robert Jones was a witness for the bride as her father (also Robert Jones) was deceased.

It seems quite a coincidence that the bride's witness had the same name as the bride's deceased father and it wasn't her brother.

But I guess coincidences do happen!

[Gaie]

Witnesses to a marriage are just that, they are not allocated to either bride nor groom.

KR
Gaie