The Registry Office in the District of Hartley Wintney

[ellenmaggie]

Hi there,
 
My husband's 2GGPs married by licence in the Registry Office in the District of Hartley Wintney in October 1871.   I have been trying to find out where it was located without success.  Does anyone know where it would have been?

Many thanks

Ellenmaggie

[hanes teulu]

https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/330437/rec/6

This names the Registrar but does not provide the address- typical! Back to the drawing board.

[AlanBoyd]

Were there Registry Offices everywhere at that time?

Kellys Directory 1898 has, for Hartley Wintney

Registrars of Births and Deaths, No. 1 Hartley Wintney sub-district, Wm. Prior, High st. Harley Wintney; No. 2 Odiham sub-district, Arthur Gotelee, High st. Odiham; No.3 Farnborough sub-district, H.J. Joyce, Elm cottage, Farnborough.

Registrars of Marriages, Nos. 1 & 2 districts, Arthur Gotelee, High Street, Odiham; No. 3 district, Henry James Joyce, Farnborough.

Looking at the Odiham entry Arthur Gotelee is listed as stationer, printer and registrar...Post Office, High Street

The Post Office Directory of 1875, Hartley Wintney, mentions a Registrar of Births and Deaths – Charles Kirk, listed elsewhere as a chemist and druggist. There is no mention of a Registrar of Marriages.
The Odiham entry has the Superintendent Registrar for Marriages as Edwin Aldridge, Bury, and he is listed as that again in the main alphabetical listing.

[hanes teulu]

https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/234297/rec/23

This directory is dated 1898 and the area is divided into districts. Note there is a distinction 'twixt births/deaths and marriages

[hanes teulu]

The Hampshire Post, 5 Nov 1878, reported the Registrar General's analysis of Hamphsire's BMDs for the latest quarter.
"Hartley Wintney" as a district/area is broken down into Odiham, Farnborough and Hartley Wintey.
Against the district/area "Hartley Wintney" are recorded 36 marriages but the entries against the 3 "sub-districts" within Hartley Wintney all show blank in the marriage column..
Births/deaths are shown against the 3 sub districts but nothing for marriages.
Back to drawing board!

[AlanBoyd]

Edwin Aldridge died in 1888
In the 1871 census he is Solicitors Managing Clerk and Registrar of Marriages
in the 1881 census he is Solicitors Manager and Clerk

Perhaps the ‘Registry Office’ was a solicitors office?

[AlanBoyd]

The 1875 Post Office Directory referred to in my reply #2 has, in Odiham:

Brooks William (firm of Lamb & Brooks), solicitor & superintendent registrar of births,, deaths & marriages, & clerk to Hartley Wintney union & commissioner for taking affidavits in chancery & common law courts, Church street.

So my bet is that this was 'the registry office' and Edwin Aldridge as senior clerk looked after the marriages.

[hanes teulu]

A similar analysis of the Registrar General's BMD's for 1871 again shows a total figure of 37 marriages against the 3 sub districts of the district/area "Hartley Wintney" Again, no breakdown into sub districts although births and deaths are broken down by sub district.

[rosie99]

A lengthy article on the introduction of registration and quite a way down it mentioning people who applied to be registrars and their professions. I have bookmarked it and will read it when I have time to spare 

https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/early-civil-registration/