Banns

[Peter Goodey]

Apart from looking at the banns register when a marriage entry was unclear, this is something I've never really taken any notice of before.

A couple married after banns in the bride's parish. Would I be likely to find any note in the banns register of the bride's parish confirming that the banns had indeed been read in the groom's home parish and identifying the name of the parish?

The groom's home parish was in London and it would be good to find a clue about exactly which parish it was. With a name like John BAKER, there are dozens of possibilities from the census.

[Geoffers]

A couple married after banns in the bride's parish. Would I be likely to find any note in the banns register of the bride's parish confirming that the banns had indeed been read in the groom's home parish and identifying the name of the parish?Banns registers tend not to record much, usually just names, dates, sometimes marital condition, sometimes the home parish of bride/groom, if banns were refused then a reason is usually noted - but - there are exceptions. Just occasionally they will note when and where a couple married (I've found two parishes in Norfolk where this happened).

Once in a blue moon, there will be a note as to bride/groom's actual home parish where the marriage register simpy, records 'of this parish'.

I have not found an instance where the banns register in one parish has noted that the banns have been read in another parish.

Geoffers

[Guy Etchells]

I recommend always looking at the Banns register it can be very informative, where else will you learn that your ancestor was going to marry but didn't.
An example of Banns may be seen online at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~petyt/ackbanns1.htm

This register states the bride & grooms parish and often the date of the marriage amongst other facts.

In earlier times the Banns were entered in the marriage register above the relevant marriage, if the banns were for the groom the marriage entry was left empty or there may be a note as to the date & parsih the marriage took place.

Banns are like Bishop's Transcripts they may often simply duplicate the information given in the marriage register but every now and then they throw up a gem.
Cheers
Guy

[Peter Goodey]

Thanks chaps

I think I get the picture. The truth of the matter is that this is my wife's line and I'm fairly embarrassed about being stuck in 1873. Prepared to consider desperate measures! I think I will have a quick look at the register mainly because the archives are only a quarter of an hours walk away. Then it'll be the LMA and plough through likely parishes. But that will have to wait until I've been to the National Archives to track at least some of his career as a Customs Officer and the very slight possibility of picking up a clue that might lead to his parents.

His name by the way was John BAKER which is obviously a nightmare to track down in censuses (at least before his marriage) and in the GRO indexes. I've even tried paying for an extended search at GRO but they ran out of steam before identifying the right one.

[Jfremont]

Hi Peter
I believe I have the same problem and wondered what you found with the GRO search. I am looking for a marriage of John Scott.. a very common name. The bride does not show up in the GRO index. I have a narrow three year window which I think is the most probable time period for a mariage. I know he died soon after since message=Hi Peter
I believe I have the same problem and wondered what you found with the GRO search. I am looking for a marriage of John Scott.. a very common name. The bride does not show up in the GRO index. I have a narrow three year window which I think is the most probable time period for a mariage. I know he died soon after since I have his death certificate with the wife listed as informant. Do the GRO look at all the John Scotts in the three year time period and check whether there are any with the correct bride's name?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
John

[Mark]

Did they have any children? If so then the birth certificates should have the mother's maiden name on them. Then you just need to try and make the cross reference yourself in the marriage index.

Mark

[Geoffers]

I believe I have the same problem and wondered what you found with the GRO search. I am looking for a marriage of John Scott.. a very common name. The bride does not show up in the GRO index. I have a narrow three year window which I think is the most probable time period for a mariage. I know he died soon after since I have his death certificate with the wife listed as informant.Have you checked the GRO index under both SCOTT and SCOT? Did your John SCOT(T) have another forename?, What was his wife's name and maiden name and what period of time and part of the coutnry is this? Could John SCOTT have been in the army or worked abroad?

Geoffers

[Peter Goodey]

"Do the GRO look at all the John Scotts in the three year time period and check whether there are any with the correct bride's name?"

Well, they'll check up to three years but only up to a certain number of records. I can't recall what the number is without digging out some old correspondence.

I suppose it has its uses but bear in mind that they'll usually check EXACTLY what you've asked for. If you ask for "John Scott", don't assume that they'll even look at a "John James Scott" let alone a "John Scot". Less is more when dealing with GRO.

[Jfremont]

Thanks for the comments from everyone. I have the details on the bride's family which came from the name of the mother on the birth certificate for the daughter. I have the death certificate for John Scott so have a possibility in the 1881 census. But without a marriage certificate I am rather stuck. I am ordering a few John Scott marriages and if I strike out may try the GRO search to exhaust all possibilities.
John