Usually I would think a marriage certificate would contain more accurate information than a death certificate, as the information provided came directly from those involved. However I have struck a problem where the marriage certificate seems to be completely wrong.
William ROBERTSON married Elizabeth CORNELL in 1853 at Belfast (Port Fairy), Victoria. On the marriage cert it says her parents were James (labourer) and Jane. (Neither could sign, and the witnesses don't appear to be family.)
Their children are variously registered with mother's name sometimes including a middle name, "Elizabeth Hayman CORNELL".
Elizabeth's death certificate in 1915 has her parents as John and Mary Ann, and a death notice says she was a colonist for 63 years, so arriving c1852.
There is a family in Staverton, Devon which has John CORNELL and Mary Ann (nee HAYMAN) with an Elizabeth of the right age. This family emigrate to Victoria arriving in 1852.
So that all seem to fit well except for the completely different parents names on the marriage certificate.
Just to add a bit more confusion, there is a family of James and Jane CONNELL (both born Ireland) who have a daughter Elizabeth the right age, born Manchester, living in Chelsea in 1851, except he appears to be tailor (on the 1841 and Elizabeth's baptism), though Chelsea Pensioner on the 1851.
Overall though, I feel almost certain the family who emigrated are the correct one's for my Elizabeth, but why the different parents names at marriage? From what I can tell, they were all living in the same area of Victoria, so presumably the parents knew of the marriage.
Any thoughts would be most welcome.