Couple of quick questions re marriage certificates

[Jane_Adams]

Hi,

I have just received a copy of an ancestor's marriage certificate (from 1839) - of my great great great grandfather. It has thrown up a couple of questions for me:

Firstly, all of the witnesses (4 in all, which seems a bit unusual) are from the Bride's family. Could this mean that the marriage wasn't 'approved' by his family or should I not read too much into it.

Secondly, the groom's father's name is listed as well as his profession. Would this mean that his father was still alive at the time - if he was deceased would it say that or would it say what his profession was when he was alive? Only reason I ask is that I had found a potential death record for his father, but it was 2 years before the marriage.



One other question, we now know where they were married. Would that church hold more information or would it be held somewhere centrally in the county? For info, it was in the Parish Church, Leigh-on-Mendip in Somerset.


Forgive these probably very basic questions, still trying to get my head round where this information is stored and what things might 'mean' :)

Thanks!

Jane

[busyglen]

I had a similar thing happen on one of my rellies Jane. They didn't have four witnesses, but even that isn't so odd. There is another thread here that shows 12 witnesses on a marriage cert.!!

My relative said that his father was deceased and also it listed his profession. This was usually given regardless of whether the father was deceased or living. However, in my case, he `wasn't' deceased as I found his death, several years later. It `looks' as if my relative was under age, and so to get over the problem, said his father was dead. Also, there were only witnesses from the brides side of the family.

Another thought, was the 3xgrandfather's mother still alive at that time? Could be that she was also deceased, and that he didn't think to say his father was dead. Or...he might possibly not have known that his father was deceased if he hadn't been living at home.

Just thoughts....hope they help.

Glenys

[Guy Etchells]

Don't read anything into the certificate it only reveals the information given at the time, this may or may not be accurate.

Witnesses, it is very common for witnesses to come from only one side of the family or even just friends of the family.
There have to be two but there is no maximum number.

The couple would be asked for their fathers' names and their occupations. If the information that a particular father was dead was not volunteered it would not be recorded.

If the marriage was after Banns there may be a record showing the dates the banns were called. If by licence there may be an Allegation & Bond but 1839 is a bit too late for that.
Cheers
Guy