Irregular Marriage

Birth, Marriage, Death

Moderator: Global Moderators

searcher 52
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Paisley

Irregular Marriage

Post by searcher 52 » Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:21 pm

The marriage details of one of my relatives contains the following information

"At 50 Wellington St, Glasgow on 11 Feb 1922 by declaration in presence of Margaret McLean, 132 Bishop St, Glasgow and Elizabeth Johnstone, 1 Somerset Place, Glasgow." and refers later to "Warrant granted by the Sheriff substitute of Lanarkshire on 11 Feb 1922."

Can anyone cast more light on what this means and perhaps why?

Andrew

DavidWW
Posts: 5057
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 9:47 pm

Post by DavidWW » Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:10 pm

Hi Andrew

A not unusual question !!, - see http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3726

Basically, for whatever reason, there were many, - the couple involved decided to marry via the procedure of declaration in the presence of witnesses, - in this case Margaret McLean, 132 Bishop St, Glasgow and Elizabeth Johnstone, 1 Somerset Place, Glasgow, - such a marriage by declaration being perfectly legal in the eyes of Scots Law up to 1939, however much the churches disapproved of such a form of marriage.

After the marriage by declaration, the couple, plus the witnesses, or their affadavits, trotted along to any Sheriff Court in Scotland, - there could be some sensitivities in terms of doing so in the local Sheriff Court, not least local newspaper coverage :wink: , it's far from uncommon, for example, for couples from the Glasgow area to use the Lothians Sheriff Court, and vice versa !!

The Sheriff (Substitute), if he was satisfied with the evidence presented to him, granted the "Warrant" referred to.

The couple then trotted along to their local registrar, presented the Warrant from the Sheriff, on the basis of which the Registrar made the entry in the Register of Marriages that you now see !!

David

searcher 52
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Paisley

Irregular Marriage

Post by searcher 52 » Sun Mar 25, 2007 2:03 pm

David,

I spent three years getting a law degree part of which included learning about the irregular forms of marriage. No one however came anywhere close to your excellent reply in explaining how it worked in practice!

Many thanks,

Andrew

AnneM
Global Moderator
Posts: 1587
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Post by AnneM » Sun Mar 25, 2007 4:42 pm

Where?

Anne
Anne
Researching M(a)cKenzie, McCammond, McLachlan, Kerr, Assur, Renton, Redpath, Ferguson, Shedden, Also Oswald, Le/assels/Lascelles, Bonning just for starters

Davie
Posts: 607
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:36 pm
Location: Glasgow

Post by Davie » Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:27 am

Can anyone cast more light on what this means and perhaps why?
Greetin’s Andrew,
In ma experience oan this, it has been a mixed marriage, or a chucky oan the wey.
Usually baith.
The bride or groom wiznae cawed Finnegan, Flannigan or Costello, by oanychance?
Davie