witnesses on marriage certificates

[kerryb]

I once found the maiden name of a wife through one of the lodgers who turned out to be her younger brother, so yes never forget boarders and lodgers.

Kerry

[lizdb]

I am sure there is another thread along this subject - but it can never be stressed enough - ALWAYS record EVERYTHING!!!

Something seemingly unimportant can, at a later date, suddenly become the vital piece of information that proves someone fits in somewhere!

[dustfairy]

Thanks for all the advice and information.  I do tend to make a note of everything.  Boarders and lodgers and visitors on census records, on a lot of my census these people have eventually become related to the family they were staying with.  As for the witnesses on the certificates of marriage, there are quite a few who I don't know who they are.  Tried looking a few of them on the census but as yet they haven't clicked into place.  As for the death certificates, which I know hold alot of information, I find death dates the hardest to locate. as you have a bigger year span to search.  It becomes a expensive hobby, if you buy every birth, marriage and death certificate for all the family.  I usually just obtain those, for direct grandparents, great grandparents and so on.  Though I do trace  information on their brothers and sisters and who they married and their children.

Janette