Living in Wirral but marrying in Liverpool early 1800s

[ronyag54]

Whilst researching I note that several of my Povall ancestors living on the Wirral in the early 1800s travelled across to Liverpool to marry (St Nicholas or St Peter). I would have thought that pre steamboats this would have been a bit complicated. Does anyone know if this was usual practice?

Thanks
Gaynor

[andy989]

I've noticed the same phenomenon with many of my Barlow ancestors from the Wirral. They also appear to have traveled to marry at St. Nicholas in the same period. Some then remained in Liverpool, but others returned to Heswall or other Wirral locations.

I'm also curious about the reasons they did this. Was it easier to marry in Liverpool? Were they escaping the scrutiny of family or the local parish?

Andrew

[celia]

I'm also curious about the reasons they did this. Was it easier to marry in Liverpool? Were they escaping the scrutiny of family or the local parish?

Andrew

Apart from those reasons
I would imagin it would be more exiting to go on the paddle boat to liverpool then travel to the church by horse drawn cab through the city.Than get married in what i would think was at the time the outback of wirral. All mud and no path

Celia

[RichardReed]

Hi, I also have members on my Taylor side making the same trip too, alas I don't know why, maybe someone could enquire at St. Nic's or St. Peter?

Regards, Richard.

[Sue in Aust]

I find this a very interesting subject and if anyone ever comes up with a definative answer to this I for one would be very interested to know.

I have many Wirral born folk in my tree that married in Liverpool (just tried to count them and lost count  ). Interestingly I have found marriages that took place in Liverpool seemed to start around 1800 and marriages prior to 1800 took place in the Wirral, has anyone else found this?

Sue

 

[celia]

Sue
i think it was all to do with the opening of the cross river Ferries .Most of the old building in wirral with the exception of some Church's in birkenhead, wallasey & surrounding area's. Were not built till the mid/late eighteen hundreds,when wirral  opened up to Liverpool. The top bit of the page of this webside will explain it better than i can
http://www.answers.com/topic/mersey-ferry

Celia

[celia]

P.S

WELCOME TO ROOTSCHAT GAYNOR & ANDREW

[ronyag54]

Thank you for the welcome Celia 

A fellow researcher suggested a couple of reasons; St Nicholas did group weddings which made the process cheaper or a couple who were living together might not have wanted the neighbours to know they were not married. I also thought that perhaps for reasons of tradition you married where your parents had married. Two of my ancestors married in Liverpool in 1789, had all their children christened at St Oswald in Bidston (they were living in Claughton) and six of their children then married  in Liverpool.

Gaynor

[Scottiedog]

I've found this in a couple of instances in my tree. In each case the first chlid was born within 6 months of the wedding.