Genealogy Chat

I've had more info from Thelma on the other thread, so we'll see what happens. :-)

Very interesting, thank you. :-)

What would seeing the parish registers get you? Well, they might clarify the status of the witnesses.

Here's an example via a look up at:
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Standish/stwilfrid/index.html
Marriage: 4 Jan 1813 St Wilfrids, Standish, Lancashire, England
William Mosscrop - of This Parish
Alice Calderbank - (X), of This Parish
Witness: John Mosscrop; William Darbyshire
Married by Banns by: John Price, Curate
Register: Marriages 1813 - 1825, Page 1, Entry 1
Source: LDS Film 1526141

Usually, the witnesses are sibs or sibs-in-law of the couple - presumably that's the case for John Mosscrop, but what abt William Darbyshire?

Well, here I can see the marrs for, say, the first 6 months of 1813 - there were 16 of them, and William Darbyshire is a witness on 15 of them. I would say he's what's known as a professional witness - probably the parish clerk or one of his rellies/mates.

Unfortunately, FreeCEN won't let me search without a surname - I hoped to get all the 1818 records for the parish, and check the witness names myself - you could contact FreeCEN to see if they'ld send them to you.

Chris, thank you, I should have thought of that. :-)

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1329473

(reference to other 'Thread')

Chris :)

Hi Thelma, yes, that's the one. I have traced back from my maternal grandmother Annie Fish, to her father, John Thomas Fish, and George Fish. George's mother is Betty, 1795, Hatfield Woodhouse. I have birth, marriage and death certs. Betty seem s to switch to Elizabeth on her marriage and on the registration of her children, which are in the Owston records. She reverts to Betty on her death cert, in Sheffield. Because of the number of records and certs I've looked at I'm certain they're one and the same, but can't prove it. :-)

Sorry I gave the wrong marriage.
From FreeReg
County Lincolnshire
Place Owston
Church St Martin
RegisterNumber 61
MarriageDate 28 Sep 1818
GroomForename Robt.
GroomSurname FISH
GroomAge
GroomParish Owston
GroomCondition Bachelor
GroomOccupation
GroomAbode
BrideForename Elizth.
BrideSurname MORE
BrideAge
BrideParish Owston
BrideCondition Spinster
BrideOccupation
BrideAbode
GroomFatherForename
GroomFatherSurname
GroomFatherOccupation
BrideFatherForename
BrideFatherSurname
BrideFatherOccupation
WitnessOneForename William
WitnessOneSurname LEGGOTT
WitnessTwoForename Wm.
WitnessTwoSurname BURTONSHIRE
Notes
FileNumber 18730

The people concerned are Robert Fish and Elizabeth More (have seen several different spellings for this) I have the Owston record. the date is 28 Sep 1818. witnesses are 2 males, different surnames to couple. There doesn't seem to be any point in trying to see the actual records if it doesn't tell me the bride's parents, or at least one of them. I'm trying to find out if this Elizabeth is the same as one on a baptism found by Thelma, on here. Don't know how else I can find out. Thank you for your efforts. :-)
p.s. hello Thelma, just seen your reply. that isn't the one. I'm glad you're on at the same time as me. I said thank you to you on my recent post about Elizabeth and Betty, but don't know if you saw it. The birth ref. you found for me then was perfect. Still can't prove they're the same person, but everything fits.

Actually, Reggie, I have seen father's mentioned on some PRs, but only of the women.

If it is Owston, Lincolnshire, all the marriages 1754-1901 from St Martins have been transcribed on freereg - if a father is mentioned, it will probably have been transcribed. All the baptisms 1708-1912 are on there too, as well as burials 1761-1988.

The only names on the PR, apart from the couple and the vicar, will be those of the witnesses

Where were the bride and groom born...and when?

When was the marriage? If before 1837, parents' were rarely mentioned on marriages.

If there is a film no mentioned in the IGI record, you could request to view it at your nearest LDS (Mormon) family history centre. You can find your nearest on the familysearch site.

Does anyone know how I can access the actual register for a marriage in St. Martin's church, Owston, please? I have an I.G.I. Index with the names of the bride and groom, and I wondered if either of the brides parents would be on the actual register. I'm not able to travel. :-)