Married or not?

[Biker]

I'm just wondering how likely it is that a man and a woman appear on the census to have children would not have been married (or alternatively their marriage not registered)?  The couple I am thinking of lived in the St Pancras/St Lukes area - were some of these records destroyed ? or not transcribed?
On the 1861 census they appear as Head and Wife.  From the dates they would have been married about 1848-1953, one child born 1853 and one 1855, so probably nearer the end of this period.

I have searched high and low on IGI, ancestry.co.uk, FreeBMD but can find nothing.

Any ideas/opinions?

Regards
Jonathan

[lizdb]

Hi Jonathan
I have found in my research that most couples are married around that time, although a surprisingly high number are not married until very close to, or just after the birth of the first child!
The trouble is that IGI, ancestry.com and Free BMD, helpful though they are, are not completely foolproof. To start with they are not complete for every year and every area. So your couple's marriage may not be there. Secondly, they rely on someone's interperatation of an entry, so they may be on their database under a completely wrong spelling - it does happen.
Your only option, I think, is to trawl the Marriage register index - either by going to the Family Record Centre at Myddleton Street Angel Islington in person, or on line using www. 1837online. It is not a database which will give you an instant answer, but allows you to view the index pages, the same as you would if visiting in person. There is a cost - as always! From these indexes you can order the marriage certificate if you wish - at an even bigger cost!
Wishing you success

[Rick]

Jonathan

Although marriages are missing from the GRO Indexes, this still appears to be much rarer occurrence than missing births.  As lizdb has pointed out, your biggest problem appears to be that you have consulted incomplete online indexes.

The complete GRO Indexes can be viewed free of charge at any LDS Family History Centre worldwide, County Record Offices in the UK and the FRC in London.  As lizdb, has also pointed out, the complete GRO Indexes can be viewed online on a pay to view basis at 1837 Online.  http://www.1837online.com/Trace2web

Rick

[Biker]

thanks for the input.

Yes, I've had a look at the 1837online site and I agree it does indicate strongly that other sources are incomplete.  However, although it helps knowing there are other marriage possibilities, there is nothing 'obvious' for my couple but at least some things to look into.  I've sent for quite a few wrong certs already, but will keep trying to sort out my problem.  btw, I have noticed that the Islington records are very sketchy indeed!  I think a long pore over the 1851 census could reap benefits, so I'll have a go at that again too.

thanks again
Jonathan

[Cell]

There is always the possibility they were not married, I have three couples  like this. One couple didn't get married until  17 years after the first child was born . They were living as a "married" couple in 1871 with two kids age  5 and 2.  In  the 1881 census they had more children ( but were living apart in this census), then  my great grandfather was born to this couple  in the 1870's  with his fathers surname, even though his parents were not legally married ( I have his  birth cert). They did get married eventually in 1884 when they were both past 40 and 50 years of age, but it took them around 17 years to do it , which I found very odd.

My husband's G, G grandparents never  did get married. I scrolled through all  possible years on 1837 up until his GG grandfather died.

I don't think it's that uncommon for couples not to marry in those 1800 years, or it could be  just my and my husband's  odd families  that do this.

I still can't understand why this couple of mine took 17 years to marry, I have their marriage cert and it's definitely them. It must have looked odd in those days a 40 something year old and a 50 something year old marrying in a church after they had been living a lie for 17 years, and 5 plus kids later.
 Anyway, I do think that there is always a small possibilty of them not getting married if my  odd lot are anything to go by.

[gennig]

There could be various reasons why a couple haven't married.
My tree has a couple who couldn't/didn't marry because of her father.  He had stipulated in his will that his daughter would disinherit if she married, so she decided not to marry, this was in the 1920's.

Another reason is one may already married and can't marry without breaking the law.

Cheers

Genni

[Biker]

Interesting stuff for all of you.  Thanks.  I think the 1851 census might sort it out a bit if I can find them.  I think on one of my other lines there is a Head and Wife listed, but actually I think they were brother and sister ...

Anyway, cheers
Jonathan

[Darcy]

Hi Jonathan,

my great grandparents appear on the census as married.

The birth certificates of their 4 children show them as married.

Yet I have never found a record of a marriage ever having taken place.

I have searched the GRO indexes from they were teenagers until the death of my great grandfather.

We have had a few discussions on this subject and it's surprising how many couples never actually married.

Darcy