Overseas Marriage Certs - India

[Ezyka]

Hello.  Would anyone be able to advise me on whether British India marriage certs can be ordered via the GRO Overseas ordering service?  I'm after two certs 1) Frederick William Meads 1857 Agra, India to Eveline Caroline Piggott  2) Frederick William Meads 1862 Lucknow, India to  Mary Margaret Shea.  He was in the 107th regt of the British Indian Army.  I can't find a GRO Index reference for them but I do have all the dates and names required for ordering.

Thanks
Erica

[dawnsh]

Hi Erica

If they do not appear on the GRO overseas indices then the GRO most probably don't hold a copy of the entry.

You will most probably have to apply to the British Library for a copy

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/ecclesiastical/eccrecords.html

click on search service for prices (£36) pus £18 on top for a certified copy of the cert. Even though you have the place and date, they need to know which presidency and the correct volume reference numbers which you most probably don't have.

If you can make a trip to London and register as a reader at the British Library you can do the research for yourself on microfilm and get a photocopy for 50p I think.

Hope this helps.

Dawn

[Ezyka]

Thanks Dawn.  The baptisms of his children appear in the overseas GRO index but his marriages don't.  I have all the info needed to order from the British Library but was trying to save a bit of money.  I need to research his military career aswell so I guess i'll have to make a trip to London at some point!

Erica

[Jane Masri]

Hi Erica,
Lazylover (Carole) is generously offering to do LDS look-ups over on the Library & FHS offers page  http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,456366.0.html

I found both marriages on the familysearch Beta site (perhaps that's where you got your information from?)  so just contact Carole & give her the film numbers.  She did a great job for me recently with some similar stuff for Indian records.  You'll find the marriage entries contain a lot of information, almost as good as the actual certificate!

Jane

[Ezyka]

Thanks Jane!  I've sent Lazylover a PM.  Fingers crossed she can help! 

Erica

[Jane Masri]

Best of luck 

Jane

[dawnsh]

Hi Erica

You may want to send her another pm.

From the marriage registers in the British India Collection at the British Library

30 March 1857, St Georges Church, Agra

Frederick William Meads, aged 22, bachelor, Private 3rd Eur Regt, abode Agra, Father William Meads
Eveline Caroline Piggott, 15, spinster, Father John Piggott

Married after banns, witnesses Mary Ann Hallinan, JC Brown

17 July 1862, Lucknow

Frederick Meads, 26, bachelor, Band Sergt HM 101 Regt, Lucknow, William Meads
Mary Margt Shea, 16, spinster, Lucknow, (no fathers recorded for any brides on this register page)
witnesses James Mud*e (can't read), James Castell of 101 Regt

Hope this helps

Dawn

[Ezyka]

Wow thanks Dawn!!  This definately helps with researching Frederick's military career.  I hope to find some kind of enrolement papers to try and find out where he was born.  I've found him on the census returns, apart from 1841, which say he was born in Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts but I searched the parish registers for that area and found nothing.  Then oddly, his discharge papers say he was born in Glasgow!  I'm hoping that military records might give me a clue but first I have to find some more records!  I think this will be a British Library job.  Did the marriage entries give the fathers occupation?  On Frederick's 3rd marriage in Jersey it gave his father as Frederick a farmer.  I'm wondering if his name was also Frederick William Meads. 

Thanks for your help!
Erica

[dawnsh]

No fathers' occupations shown on the microfilm, sorry

Dawn