Mistake on Marriage Record

[alistairmac]

Hi everyone,

I've posted the marriage record of my grandparents to the gallery (http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... play_media). Edward McGowan and Theresa Kelso were married on 7the December 1891. Theresa's parents are shown as Archibald Kelso and Elizabeth Kelso, M/S Thomson. I spent ages looking in vain for the marriage of Archibald Kelso and Elizabeth Thomson. Eventually, I discovered that this was a mistake and Elizabeth's maiden surname was actually McMahon, not Thomson.

I notice that apart from the Registrar's signature at the bottom, everthing else seems to be written in the same handwriting, ie there are no participant signatures. I have other marriage records where the bride and groom have obviously signed the document. So this one seems to be a copy and whoever copied it has made at least one mistake. Robert McGowan's occupation may be a mistake as well as on other documents he is usually listed as a boilermaker's labourer, not a ship carpenter.

I was wondering if anyone could explain what the usual procedure was in those days for reporting marriages and why this mistake may have happened. Would the bride and groom have produced their birth records at the marriage? I noticed that the registrar on Theresa's birth record was a Mr Thomson.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks
Alistair

[StewL]

Hi Alastair
In answer to your question, any information written on BMD's was only as good as the information supplied.
It is possible that Elizabeth was married previously to a Thomson.
There is also the possibility that Theresa was not sure of her mother's maiden name or was not aware that she had previously been married, especially if there were no children from a previous marriage.
Back then men and women often remarried fairly quickly if a partner died as there was no pension or such, and if a man lost his wife and had young children, he would need someone to look after the wains so he could go out to work.

[Currie]

Hello Alistair,

An explanation of the procedure for registration of marriages was pretty well covered in an earlier thread. Basically, church marriages won’t have original signatures and the only document that needed to be produced to the registrar was the schedule signed by bride, groom, witnesses, and minister. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=15125&hilit=schedul ... +registrar

You’ll find the original legislation under XLVI “Registration of regular marriages”, halfway down this page. http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/Vie ... s&mno=4048

There’s a sample 1855 version of “Schedule C” right at the bottom of the page. I don’t have any 1855 marriage certificates but it’s probably set out so it can be copied straight into the register.

Too many mistakes on a marriage register would have me worrying if it’s the right one, or even if the facts had been falsified to save embarrassment..

Hope that helps,
Alan

[LesleyB]

Hi Alistair

I notice that apart from the Registrar's signature at the bottom, everthing else seems to be written in the same handwriting, ie there are no participant signatures. I have other marriage records where the bride and groom have obviously signed the document

Looking at a random selection of Scottish marriages in my collection I do not have any where the bride and groom have signed the marriage entry. I have plenty births and deaths where there are signatures, but not any SR marriages as far as I can see - all are in the registrar's or assistant registrar's handwriting.

See also http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpoli ... /marriage/

Under the Scottish Registration Act of 1854, every couple marrying regularly had to fill up a Marriage Schedule, have it signed by the officiating minister and the witnesses to the marriage, and send it within three days to the registrar of the parish where the marriage took place. Since in the early days some couples were illiterate, or had difficulty filling in the schedule, the minister could fill it in for them, and check the details, but there was no legal compulsion on him to do this properly, and some ministers were slow, or careless, about their duties. Bad handwriting was a frequent problem.

Best wishes
Lesley

[alistairmac]

Hi Lesley, Alan and Stewie,

Thanks for your replies and the links.

Lesley, apologies, you are right; I’ve checked all my marriage records and, I was mistaken, none of them have original signatures, only the birth and death records do. That’s confirmed in the regulations in the links.

Stewie, I can find no record of a marriage between Elizabeth McMahon (Theresa’s mother) and a Thomson. On Elizabeth’s marriage record to Archibald Kelso, she is listed as Elizabeth McMahon, spinster.

Alan, I did think originally that I may have got the wrong marriage record, but apart from M/S Thomson and possibly Robert’s occupation, everything else fits.

However, reading the bit about irregular marriages on one of the links, I’m now wondering whether Thomson may be a clue to the identity of Theresa’s father. I mentioned in an earlier string that Theresa was born illegitimate with her father unknown. Elizabeth and Archibald married when Theresa was 5. There is no RCE on Theresa’s birth record, so I don’t think Archibald is her biological father. Maybe the father was a Thomson and Theresa’s mother called herself Elizabeth Thomson, before she married Archibald? Just a long shot, probably totally off the mark.

Cheers
Alistair