Proof of marriage

[suevbird]

Hi

Just a quick question.  Around the period 1900-1925 would proof of marriage be required to register a child's birth or could the mother just say she was married to the father.  Also, would the mother have to provide proof of her maiden name or again would this just be registered with the information she gave

Sue

[lizdb]

I dont think proof of marriage or of maiden name has ever been required.

[suevbird]

I thought that might be the case.  I know nowadays proof has to be provided but I assume back then you could give any name you wanted and would just be taken 'at your word'!

[lizdb]

Didnt know it had to be provided nowadays - I didnt have to provide anything when my childrens births were registered - but maybe that was too long ago to be "nowadays"!!

[suevbird]

My children are 26 & 24 and I know that when I registered them they already had all the details that had been provided by the hospital!!  I was quite surprised myself.  Also, I know that if the parents are unmarried both have to be present to register the fathers name on the certificate.

[lizdb]

Yes, that is correct.

[LizzieW]

When my children were born in the 1960s in a maternity home (NHS), the registrar used to visit the maternity home once a week to register births - of course mums stayed in for 10 days then to have a rest.  Our husbands were rarely present at the time, but I assume that so long as we gave our husband's name and it was the same as ours, they just accepted that we were married.

Lizzie