Info on marriage certificate has confused me!

[tootsgirleen]

During research of my husbands tree, I found his great grandfather Louis Harold Pollard, ordered his birth certificate (born November 1898) which showed his mother as Ann Pollard with father blank. 

So I have continued along her line and found lots of people.

However, yesterday I recevied Louis Harold's marraige certificate ((23 May 1931) (and I know it is the correct one) and find that a father is listed Jack Pollard (deceased).  I understand that maybe a little white lie  was told and the name (made up) was added.  However the marraige certificate also lists Louis as 29.  He would have been 32 if my birth certificate is correct.

So maybe it was another lie.

Does anyone know what documentation had to be presented in 1931 to get married, would he have had to show his  birth certficate?

[Necromancer]

Hi Toots, there was no requirement to prove who you were, the Registrar / Vicar just wrote down what (he thought) you said......

So often one sees obvious age discrepancies, and the fabrication* of Fathers names to add a little respectability, or what ever was trying to be achieved ! .....

 



* Sometimes relations names were used, or family friends - I have even seen a Lodgers name used !

[halfasheep]

I've got a similar situation with a great great grandfather. Suspect his father's name and occupation to be false (also deceased at the time), and his wife's age is completely wrong.

Suggestions are that she was pregnant so rushed marriage (appears correct given age of oldest child), he was a lot younger than her so ages fiddled to make it look like he was just older than her - this was abotu 1901 though, so I'm lead to believe no ID was required then, but may have changed by 1931.

[Jillie42]

this was abotu 1901 though, so I'm lead to believe no ID was required then, but may have changed by 1931.

I'm pretty certain no proof of ID was needed since my husband's grandfather has an age on his marriage certificate that doesn't compute with his age at death and the first name on his marriage certificate may well be wrong.

His marriage was in 1935 so it would seem that no one was checking whether the info given was accurate.

[Nick29]

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that the poor chap was rather embarassed in front of his new bride about being illegitimate, so he invented a dead father to put on the marriage certificate.  Illegitimacy was looked upon quite seriously in those days, even though an illegitimate child had no choice in the matter.

 

[tootsgirleen]

Thanks All.

I agree that the fathers name was "invented" and I suppose he felt like  he should knock a few years off as his bride was 20.

Thanks again!

 

[briant]

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that the poor chap was rather embarassed in front of his new bride about being illegitimate, so he invented a dead father to put on the marriage certificate. Illegitimacy was looked upon quite seriously in those days, even though an illegitimate child had no choice in the matter.

 
I have a Gt Uncle who did the above

[LizzieW]

My gran's half niece (same age as her and lived with her and my gran's parents) was illegitimate but she put a name down for her father when she married.  She actually used the name as her mother's father who had actually died nearly 30 years previously.  So it happened a lot.

I'm sure nowadays you have to provide proof of age etc. but I don't know.  I had to show my mum's birth and marriage certificates before I could register her death, but that might just have been the local registrar, as I had to do the same thing when I registered my dad's death 4 years earllier.

Lizzie

[halfasheep]

Funnily enough, I had to register my interest with the registrar (losing my right to be young, free and single next August).

Had to provide two forms of photographic ID, and also a utility bill (as did the missus).

However, for the father's details, they simply asked us what their respective names were, were they alive, and what they did for a living.