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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: Lee Morgan on Thursday 03 May 18 00:32 BST (UK)
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I'm researching a marriage which took place in 1900 at Beauly.
On the registration document it gives the location as: "The Roman Catholic Chapel Beauly." Would I be right in assuming this to mean St. Mary's or was there a smaller chapel in the area too? Is there any reason it wouldn't simply be called St. Mary's on the document?
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It looks that way:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/INV/Kilmorack
I am not sure if there is a reason why it was not called St Mary but you often see wording such as "The Parish Church" on documents rather than a specific name.
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It may be worth adding addresses of the couple in question to try & work out a reason?
The areas of their addresses may be the answer as nearest church to their abodes?
"The Catholic Directory entries of 1845 and 1846 record that 'Beauly is served from Inverness', i.e. a priest would travel over from Inverness to offer Mass in Beauly. Before the present church was built there was a chapel recorded from 1843 onwards, which was in Croyard Road opposite the Church of Scotland."
I haven't seen whether 'onwards' relates to this day or when?
I haven't checked when the 'present church' was built but there seems to be a few things online which are all downloadable rather than readable on a normal search.
Annie
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St Marys Beauly was founded in 1864 Annie. :)
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/INV/Kilmorack/StMary
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Thanks Ruskie,
I think their addresses at time of marriage against the locations of both chapel & church could maybe give the answer but if in the case of where the brides parents lived/worshipped/where she was baptised may have also been a factor?
Annie
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I agree that their addresses might give the answers here. Alternatively, it could be a 'family' church.
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It does seem from the quote I found, one was called 'Chapel', the other called 'Church' i.e. that may well have been why it was emphasised on the marriage as 'Chapel' to differentiate?
Annie
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The marriage took place in 1900. I did read that there were a lot of Catholics in the area, but once the big church opened in 1864, with a relatively small population, would they still keep a small chapel too?
It would be interesting to find out.
But yes, your theory about the reason for specifying "Church" makes sense. :)
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RC churches in Scotland are generally referred to as "The Chapel" whatever their size! The Lovat Frasers were Catholic & had a chapel, St Mary's at Eskadale to the west!
Skoosh.
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Thanks for the replies!
The curious thing is, nothing suggests that the pair were, in fact, Catholic. Both their parents' marriages were according to the Established Church of Scotland. Additionally, after they emigrated to the USA with their young family in the 1920s, they are listed as "Presbyterian."
The usual residence of both groom and bride is given simply as, "Beauly, Parish of Kilmorack." The minister is John Cameron, Roman Catholic Clergyman.
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Hmm, how strange to be Presbyterian or Church of Scotland or other yet marrying in a Catholic Chapel/Church as I believe they may have needed to take 'Rites' & get permission to marry unless they had already gone through that process for whatever reason?
Unlike the other way around where no process was/is necessary?
Annie
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Perhaps one side of the family was Catholic, the pressure was on, so they decided to keep the peace by marrying in a Catholic Church. Same thing happens today sometimes doesn't it? ;)
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Folk tend not to marry in either nowadays Rusky! if at all! ;D
Skoosh.
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Folk tend not to marry in either nowadays Rusky! if at all! ;D
Skoosh.
You're not wrong Skoosh! ;D
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There is also St Mary's, Eskadale, a short distance from Beauly, that was referred to as a chapel. It was built in 1826/7.
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Where the Lovat's are buried?
Skoosh.
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There is a private cemetery for the Lovats to the west of the chapel
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ has some records linked to St Mary's Eskadale that date back to 1793 while those for St Mary's Beauly appear to start around 1850.
http://www.stmarysbeauly.org has headings for Beauly, Eskadale etc.
For St. Marys, Eskadale the history states
"...It is hard to believe that so large a Roman Catholic chapel was built as far back as 1827, only 34 years after the passing of the Catholic Relief Act. Built by The Chief of the Clan Fraser, the 14th Lord Lovat..."
For St Marys Beauly it states
"...The Catholic Directory entries of 1845 and 1846 record that 'Beauly is served from Inverness', i.e. a priest would travel over from Inverness to offer Mass in Beauly. Before the present church was built there was a chapel recorded from 1843 onwards, which was in Croyard Road opposite the Church of Scotland. This chapel is now gone..."