Two marriage entries for the same couple

[AudreyF]

I am looking at the marriage of George Thomas Coggins and Henrietta Downing. Ancestry's marriage index shows an entry in Q4 1902 in Chertsey, Surrey and another in Q1 1903 in Windsor, Berkshire.

Can anyone help explain this please? Is it a mistake of some kind?

[Pam Downes]

FMP's Berkshire marriage index has the 1903 marriage taking place at Sunningdale on 19 March 1903.

Not saying this is what happened re the 1902 marriage but there is a case of a marriage being in the GRO Index but it didn't actually take place as it was objected to on grounds of consanguinity. (She wanted to marry her dead husband's brother.) George and Henrietta might have decided to marry, then had a row just before the ceremony, and declared they never wanted to see each other again, only to make up a couple of months later. But, like the case I've quoted, the marriage register already had the details entered in to it, except that it wasn't completed with other details such as the signatures of the bride, groom, witnesses, and clergy, and by mistake got entered into the GRO Index.

I think the only way to possibly solve the mystery is to send for a copy of the 1902 certificate. You don't really need the 1903 certificate because the details are in that entry on FMP.

[AudreyF]

That's very interesting and very helpful. Thank you. The 1903 record on FMP which I have now seen looks to be correct. I will take your advice and look at the 1902 certificate.

[Pam Downes]

That's very interesting and very helpful. Thank you. The 1903 record on FMP which I have now seen looks to be correct. I will take your advice and look at the 1902 certificate.

I would hold off ordering the 1902 certificate for a couple of days, in case any other forum members have any other ideas re the apparent double entry. If George had been a soldier I might have said they had to marry twice because he didn't have his captain/general/colonel's permission first time round, though I think that 'system' was discontinued some time earlier.

[AudreyF]

You are right, of course. I will wait a few days. I have seen a tree on Ancestry labelled 'Coggins' and the owner has the 1903 marriage by day, month and year so I have contacted her to see how sure she is of it in terms of a certificate. There are three trees showing the 1902 and 1903 marriage which suggests no-one has, yet, actually pinned one or the other down.

[suemalings]

A marriage between a relative in my tree took place in 1818 but was annulled as the bride was only 16, presume parents permission was not given. Bann were read in 1819 but no marriage took place, again probably because there was no parental permission. They did eventually marry in 1821 but the bride was still only 19. I suppose parents finally decided they were going to marry anyway.

[suemalings]

Of course there could be TWO Coggins marrying a DOWNING. That might sound unlikely but I have just been researching a Thomas H Dean who married a Harriett. Now I find there were Two Thomas H Dean's. both marrying a Harriett and both living and working in Erdington, Birmingham. Unfortunately all the trees on Ancestry which have William H Dean in them are showing him as William Henry, not my William Hudson. Although they have all the details of the family I am researching, they are all incorrect.

[AudreyF]

The plot thickens! Fascinating. I have actually found military records for two different George Thomas Coggins about the same age but searching/checking the GRO birth records the 'other one' was actually Thomas George Coggins and seems to have switched his names for WWI military service.

I am researching for a maternal cousin and Coggins is her father's side she asked me to take a look at. So, I'll have to seek permission for a budget to buy the certificates if the Ancestry person does not care to share information, sources.

[emeltee]

There is a tree on fmp which gives a marriage date of 19 March 1903 and quotes the West Briton and Cornwall advertiser of 30 March 1902 page 3 'Births, Marriages and Deaths' as the source.

Unfortunately I cannot find this but someone else with access to BNA might.

[Pam Downes]

There is a tree on fmp which gives a marriage date of 19 March 1903 and quotes the West Briton and Cornwall advertiser of 30 March 1902 page 3 'Births, Marriages and Deaths' as the source.

Unfortunately I cannot find this but someone else with access to BNA might.

I presume that you made a typo with the year, rather than actually looking for the record in 1902.

It is in the edition for 30 March 1903, bottom of column 5 on page 3, but just gives the briefest details - names, date, place, fathers' names, and that Henrietta's father lived in Par.

Found it using filters for Mar 1903, by newspaper West Briton etc, and then entering just the name Henrietta.
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