Austen - pre 1837

[canada310]

I have found the FreeBMG website to be a very useful tool for locating records after 1837. Where does get certificate info from if the event (birth, death, etc) took place before then? For example, according to the family bible my g.g.g. grandfather William Austen married Mary Ann Mussared on October 5, 1831 at the Old Church in Margate, Kent. I would like a copy of this certificate but do not know who to contact. Any advice?

[Ann65]

Registration, and certificates of, Births Marriages and Deaths began in England and Wales in July 1837. Prior to that date there was no such thing as registration, nor certificates of Births Marriages and Deaths.

Prior to this date, research takes place checking for records of Baptisms Marriages and Burials using the local parish registers.

A lot of clues can be found at www.familysearch.org the online International Genealogical Index (IGI, or Mormon Index).

[Wirral]

Civil registration of births, deaths & marriages only started in July 1837, so it is not possible to get a marriage certificate for dates before then. What you need is a copy of the marriage entry in the church register. Try posting your request on the Kent forum on this site, to see if some kind person can look at the registers. They will be held at the Kent County Records Centre in Maidstone, but Margate local library may also have a copy of the church register. Registers are usually now on microfilm & many have been copied by the Church of Latter Day Saints. You may be able to view the registers youself at a LDS centre. Look at www.familysearch.org to find the nearest centre.