When did Registry Office weddings become allowed?

[paulalou]

My great-great grandparents were married at Fulham Registry Office in 1884. Does anyone know when weddings in registry offices became legal and/or a comman way of getting married?

Paula

[Little Nell]

Hi Paula,

Marriages in a Register Office were introduced at the same time as civil registration i.e. 1 Jul 1837.  It grew slowly in popularity but greater numbers used this option from 1837 in the far north of England, the south-west and Wales.

Hope that helps.

Nell

[paulalou]

Thanks for that. DO you know if the records (in general) still exist? And where they would be held? I can't track down the records for Fulham Registry Office.
Paula

[Little Nell]

I would expect them to be with any others for the Fulham registration district.  Fulham was a sub-district of Kensington at one point, when are we talking about?  Copied this from the Genuki page:
Fulham
Created 1st April 1875 (out of Kensington district). In Middlesex until 1889.
Sub-districts : Fulham; Fulham North East; Fulham North West; Fulham South; Hammersmith; Hammersmith St. Peter; Hammersmith St. Paul; Hammersmith North; Hammersmith South.
GRO volumes : 1a (1875-1930).
Fulham, Hammersmith (1875-1913).
Registers now in Hammersmith & Fulham district.

The records are also included in the main GRO indexes.

Nell

[paulalou]

I mean they aren't at the Fulham & Hammersmith Records Office or the London Met Archives...well not that i can find.

Paula

[paulalou]

I should have said, i want to look at the original records.

Paula

[Annahannah]

My G-Grandparents were married 'by certificate' in a registry office in 1890.  I found them on the BMD, and ordered the certificate.  It arrived in western Canada less than a week after I ordered it!

Anna

[Hackstaple]

Paula - you would not be allowed to examine the original registers. Any information they contain relative to a marriage is on the marriage certificate.

[paulalou]

The reason i asked was because i have previously found ancestors siblings (previously unknown to me) marrying on the same day as my direct ancestors by finding marriage certificates next to each other among the parish records. I now always try to check this in the records so was hoping to be able to see the registry office record book.

Paula