Marriage Certificate - Condition - query

[Swni]

I have recently had the marriage certificate of my GGGrandparents and under "Condition" it states that he is a widower and has a number 2 above the word widower and that she is a widow and has a number 3 above the word widow. Does anyone know what this means please?

We think it may mean that he has been widowed twice and she three times or that this is his second marriage and her third.  Does anyone know?

Regards

Sue Goddard

[philsearch]

Hi Sue, Im not sure of the reason but i recently received a marriage cert and over the brides fathers middle name Phillip therewas a number 5. One of the l,s in his name was crossed out making it Philip. Could it be they had a code for mistakes. There was also the word five  written in the left hand margin, Phil.

[Swni]

Thanks for your reply Phil.  That seems quite possible as the word Batchelor was crossed out and Widower put in it's place with the 2 above and the word Spinster was crossed out and the word Widow put in it's place with a 3 above.  So your theory makes sense.  I think I will telephone the local register office and ask them.  If I find out, I will let you know!  Thanks again.

Sue