Marriage document requirements in 1918 ?

[Celtic Damsel]

HI All, I wonder if any of you know what documents a person would have been obliged to supply to the catholic church in order to get married in 1918? I have recently discovered that my mystery Granddad was not born with the name he gave on his marriage certificate or indeed to the parents he gave, so I am assuming as he was as far as I know an orphan, that he either made up both or used the name of the people who fostered/adopted/or jut raised him, but surely, as the same as today, he would have been required to produce a birth or baptism certificate to the church? anyone got any clue on this please I have spoken to the church office who apart from what I have on him have no other information on him that can help me solve his mystery.

[philipsearching]

Spoiler alert - my reply will not answer your question!

There may well be some truth among the fiction:
If he is on the 1939 register -his birth date might be accurate.
On the marriage cert the forename and occupation of his father may be true.
When the 1921 Census is available - what was his birthplace? (the county may be true if not the town)
What names did he give his children (especially daughters)?
Are there any family legends naming his siblings?

I searched for my great-grandfather for over 20 years and Rootschatters found him!  He had changed his name after deserting from the Royal Navy in 1901.

Philip

[KGarrad]

As far as I know, no evidence of identity was required.

And, under the laws of England and Wales, a person can call themselves anything they choose; just as long as there was no intention to deceive or defraud.

[philipsearching]

As far as I know, no evidence of identity was required.

And, under the laws of England and Wales, a person can call themselves anything they choose; just as long as there was no intention to deceive or defraud.

My gut feeling is the same.  I have just asked my oldest surviving Catholic relative now 97 who said that when she married in the 1940s she (a Protestant) was asked to provide evidence or a declaration of Christian baptism but her Catholic husband was not.  The same happened to me in the 1980s.

Philip

[Celtic Damsel]

sorry all I should have said I am in Ireland and his name being so common means there are lots of them in the given years for him but none with the names he gave, my DNA shows me a totally different set of Great grandparents to the names he gave on his marriage record

[Celtic Damsel]

As far as I know, no evidence of identity was required.

And, under the laws of England and Wales, a person can call themselves anything they choose; just as long as there was no intention to deceive or defraud.

I thought that might be the case as otherwise how would he have got away with the huge fibs lol thank you

[Celtic Damsel]

As far as I know, no evidence of identity was required.

And, under the laws of England and Wales, a person can call themselves anything they choose; just as long as there was no intention to deceive or defraud.

My gut feeling is the same.  I have just asked my oldest surviving Catholic relative now 97 who said that when she married in the 1940s she (a Protestant) was asked to provide evidence or a declaration of Christian baptism but her Catholic husband was not.  The same happened to me in the 1980s.

Philip

its super frustrating isnt it I am in the position that all of his children are gone now so no one to ask if he ever imparted any more information about himself that I have passed down through my own Dad which was practically nothing

[AntonyMMM]

Even today you don't have to produce a birth certificate when giving notice to marry. You do have to provide evidence of your identity, but that can be done with a number of things - a passport is often used.

If he was marrying in a Catholic Church he might have been asked to provide a baptism certificate to the priest, but that's not a legal requirement.

He was free to marry in whatever name he was using or known by at the time of the marriage - no need for it to be the one he was given at birth.

[josey]

Looks like you need to follow a paper trail from your known DNA ancestors. Do give us the names of you want help with that.