Marriage Certificate Question

[TimEwins]

Hi

Really easy question .. but I'm not sure on the answer ...

I've been getting hold of my ancestors marriage certificates, and have noticed that they are all written in the same handwriting, i.e the registrar.  This also applies to the section where the certificate is signed.

Looking at my own marriage certificate, this section is signed by me and my wife, along with the witnesses.

Am I to assume that when people get married there are two certificates written out by the registrar, one completely, and another with blanks for the couple and the witnesses to sign.  The couple then get the 'original' and the 'copy' is recorded in the archives ?

We can't remember whether we signed two documents of not, or has this all changed in the last 50 years (I doubt)?

Another interesting point is that I have one certificte where the signature box reads

'name' X her mark

Which obvioulsy means she couldn't write ?

Help appreciated

[Mort29]

You would have signed both the Register, and your actual Certificate.

The reaon that the handwriting is the same is that Certs are 'printed' using a template that just shows the marriage details in question in the Index.

The Index was compiled from the churches and RO's in the District, then sent quarterly to the GRO who merged all those Indices into one, in yet another hand ...

Yes, 'X' means she couldnt write / sign ...


you may find these articles on Certicate Contents of interest -

http://home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/marriages.htm

[TimEwins]

Thanks for the information .... the days before scanners and photocopiers !

I found it interesting that the certificates are therefore just a 'copy' of the information (penned around the same time), and were not written at the same time/in the presence of, the people in question.

So the ancestors signed a register, this info was sent to the GRO, who then wrote yet another certificate out ..... those were the days.

I guess they just scan things now ?

Tim

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

The register signed by the couple will still be held by the local registrar, many local authorities can produce the original register entry onto a blank certificate for FH purposes. I could only prove my grandmother had previously married by comparing the signature on local issued certs.

This can be done for birth and death records quite easily but the marriage certs can be more problematic, this is because each marriage venue (church, chapel etc) has it's own register, the register office staff would have to search through each register to locate the certificate you want and they can't devote the resources needed, they can supply a cert though if you can quote the venue (therefore leading them straight to the correct register).