looking up marriages on familysearch

[ali607]

Hi im pretty new to this game and have a question:

I have used familysearch.org and have found loads and loads of my ancestors back to 1700s but now im trying to find details of marriages and maiden names etc. I have a couple that were married after 1881 but before 1901 and i dont know where to search for the marriage...
Someone's just told me you can look marriages up on familysearch and that it doesnt end at 1881 at all - do you go to 'All Resources' on familysearch and then choose marriage from event? Cos ive looked up a few marriages in that way - ones in the 20th century and that one between 1881 and 1901 (ones that i know the exact date of) - to see if it does include marriages after 1881 and nothing comes up for any of them....am i doing something wrong?
Thanks
Alison

[casalguidi]

Hi Alison

Family search is the site of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) who have transcribed many church registers and made them available to the public.  There are also records on there that have been submitted by private individuals (like you or me).

It is not a complete record of anything.  There is no particular pattern - some records have been transcribed and others haven't.  It is feasible to reason that there won't be items on there for people who are still alive.  Whilst the IGI baptism and marriage records can be very useful for locating a family, you should always remember that there are many many more that aren't on there. Also, it is only really a finding aid/index so you should always check with the original records where you can.

If your ancestor was married in a register office, they wouldn't be on there anyway as the only way that you can get a copy of such marriages is to purchase a certificate.

Can you be sure that these ancestors that you have found back to the 1700s are the correct ones.

The complete records for births, marriages and deaths for England is at the General Register Office (1837- today).  These are gradually being transcribed by volunteers at

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

You can view the information pages to see the progress of the index.

There is a complete set of the indexes at

http://www.1837online.com/Trace2web/

where you have to pay to search them.

If you know the area where you ancestors lived, then it might be feasible to search the baptism and burial registers of the actual church yourself if you can.

The 1881 census is available on the family search site but it is nothing to do with the index of baptisms and marriages etc.

Just start with the information that you are absolutely certain about - yourself/parents/grandparents? and work back one step at a time. 

Hope this helps

Casalguidi

[Little Nell]

Hi again,

Casalguidi has virtually said it all.

It is vital to remember that you WILL NOT find everything about your family on the internet and neither you will you be able to prove any of what you do find until you check it out properly.

When you see 1881 on the FamilySearch site, it refers to the census taken in that year - it is a snapshot in time.  Take a look at the other thread:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=24081.msg90305;topicseen#msg90305

for more information.

Be very careful of using the internet exclusively - or you might end up tracing the wrong people.

Nell

[D ap D]

You'll also find that several counties have also started their own BMD to complement the "National" FreeBMD. These do have differences to the FreeBMD as they are done by people with a vested interest in that particular area. You will find that the FreeBMD has some that the local ones don't and vice versa. The only difference is that the FreeBMD has the GRO index, whereas the local ones have the index for the local registrar. I usually order from the registrar, especially if I know I'll be ordering several over an extended period, as this helps to build up a relationship, hence you are more likely to get favours than with the GRO. I also find the registrar is a lot quicker than the GRO.

[Nick Carver]

2 points to add - first that my experience in searching freeBMD and YorkshireBMD for Carvers in the Hull area has come up with several on one list but not the other and secondly that I have found a number of occasions where the LDS site has gaps in the 1881 census. If you don't find what you expect on LDS for the 1881 census, ask on here for a check because several kind people have the CD-ROM of the census and will do a look-up for you.

Happy hunting

[petere]

D ap D
I note what you say about getting certificates from the local registrar. It is certainly cheaper and probably quicker, but when I have tried for some areas in London eg Paddington, Kensington then I have had no success.  Marriage certificates are filed under the particular church in which the marriage occurred and of course one does not usually know this until the certificate is obtained. Secondly, some districts cannot supply certificates from prior to say 1901 and another cannot supply them at all (asbestos in the archive).  And of course most of my people were in these areas. So I just shell out £8.50 to the GRO.

Peter

[Hackstaple]

As always I am baffled by the reported prices that people pay the GRO for certificates. The price for a BMD certificate with the correct reference is £7.00 and that includes UK postage.

[casalguidi]

Wanting the answers on a marriage certificate there and then (as one does sometimes), a recent trip to Ashford, Kent Registry Office (Kent County Council) resulted in having to pay an extra 50p for postage, another car journey the next week to collect it or having to pay an extra (I can't remember exactly but think it was) £10 if I wanted it the same day.  Evidently a new system introduced in the last year or so.

On querying the alternatives:

The extra 50p is for the stamp, envelope and extra work involved in addressing the envelope, stuffing it and postage.

The extra £10? for collection the same day is so that every application is dealt with in turn with no preference given to applications in person.

So ............... I had to pay the extra 50p to save a fiver in petrol!  Just as well have used the GRO office online.

Casalguidi

[petere]

Hackstaple,
The £7 fee for a BMD certificate is if you order from GRO on-line. If you order by post with an index reference the fee is £8.50. I order by post because I don't do credit cards. Old fashioned see!

Peter