Advice please from transcribers of Old B.M.D certs

[celia]

Hi
I have for the last few weeks, once week been making an index of marriage's, Who Married who,year & Month from the original church marrage entry book( for my own use),on film so original Marriage certificates. I had no trouble with the years 1813-1825. (6/7/8/ & 9 to do) 1830-39. That is to say apart from some certificates in 1834/5. I cannot imagine what they are supposed to read as (Vickers Writing) If it wasn't for the bride & groom signing there own name plus those of the  witnesses.I wouldn't have a clue who married who Others i can only read the last few letter,for instance in my index i have a Sarah somebody married a somebody leathly? in 1834.What do others do when they can't read the writing, do they like me make a note cant read no 7 cert or do they put  James ???ty
The reason i am making my index is because if asked for a marrage lookup it saves a trip to the library,for the might bee's marriages

Celia

[Bill749]

Hi Celia

Purely my opinion but, for the sake of completeness, I would follow your second suggestion and use one or more question marks for the bits you can't read.

In some cases, as you progress through the records you will find entries that will give you clues to the ones you couldn't read and may allow you to fill in at least some of the gaps.  It might also be useful to refer to the Banns (if they are available) as they might have been entered by a different hand.

The main problem, I suspect, is that you will end up with a number of entries in your index for marrying , which is not very helpful, but if there is some information to be had in the entry its marginally better than "couldn't read".

Regards, Bill

[seahall]

HI Celia

I look to see if any siblings marry as the index progresses.

I also check if the surname appears elsewhere near by.

Looking for a possible Baptism entry if in the same place.

Finally I look at the area in the 1841 onwards censuses which is sometimes a help.

Sandy

[celia]

Hi Bill
I cant remember off hand but before a certain year 1813? on the same film there are just Banns then it goes onto the Marriage certificates which sometimes says by banns.Are these two certificates separate or are the Banns connected to the marriage certificate. I am on the 1840 next week so hopfully the writing will be better.Those names written by the vicker that are hard to read in parts I will stick to my
They can allways be looked up by anyone that claims them I have had a few clues over time, Where a signature is signed with X Another member of her/His Family have signed for them. That has been spelled the right way and with nice writing, the Vickers how it sounded. So I was able to put the correct names.

Celia

[celia]

Hi Seahall
The Marriage register books are in order of years & Months naturally. There are a lot of the same surenames in various years, i am finding more strays than i though there were 
I don't have anything to do with looking for siblings or baptisms am not doing a tree.I just copy out the names of the people married in whatever year and the month. Then if someone asks me for a lookup in St Hilary to see if
A, James Molyneux married a Ellen surname not known possibly the 1830's.I can say yes,then go to the library and get the right film and take all the details from the Marriage certificate. Thats why i am making my index

Celia

[Bill749]

Hi Celia

Banns were introduced by the Hardwicke Marriage Act of 1753.  Before this time there were no printed registers and the minister would simply write in the names of the parties and the date of the marriage, adding a note of the other parish if one of the parties was not local.

The first printed marriage registers don't have a lot of information on them and you could confuse them with the banns registers, but they are separate.

The banns register will give the names of the two parties to be married plus, in most cases, the parish to which each party belonged.  They will also give the dates of the three Sundays on which the banns were read and the signature (hopefully) of the person reading them.  This will be duplicated in both parishes if the two parties were not from the same parish.  The register will sometimes contain a note of where the marriage was to take place (if at another church) or a margin note giving the actual date of the marriage.

The marriage certificate will then give the names and parishes of the two parties, whether by banns or license, the date of the marriage and the signatures or marks of the two parties and their witnesses.  Where the marriage was by banns, there will be an associated entry in the banns register.

After civil registration commenced in 1837 the registers changed to their modern format, with far more complete information.

Regards, Bill

PS - I suppose you have checked that your local FHS hasn't already transcribed and/or indexed these registers?

[seahall]

Hi Celia

I don't have anything to do with looking for siblings or baptisms am not doing a tree.

I didn't think you were.      

It is another way of finding the correct spelling of the surname when in doubt by
looking at the Siblings and Baptisms or the family after marriage in censuses .

Cheers Sandy

[celia]

Hi Bill
Thank you for for enlightening me in regard to the Banns Marriage certificates. In regard to checking if a F.H.S has transcribed these marriage certificate.No i haven't checked.I have never been to one of these clubs.So i don't even know where it is ,they probably have though.There recording might be for publication, or for the use of members, so will be more professional.not sure.My records are just for me,so i have a quick reference.I like easy

Celia

[celia]

Hi Sandy
i was thinking of doing various things to find the right surname,but it isn't really important at this time.Because i don't get get many requests these days.Which is a shame because as Peter (Cheshire board) said, (when people cant find a marriage  in Village where they thought the bride should have married),it was the INN Thing of the time to get married in Liverpool.That also works in reverse,because of the married there a some who,lived in Liverpool a lot in fact,bidston,Bebbington, One groom is from Suffolk, another from Ireland. So it has surprised me that people check all he churches in wirral for a marriage but don't find it. Because they never checked St Hilary I wonder why that is?

Celia