Hi there,
I can confirm that the family search images arrived, and I have spoken at length with one of my elderly rellies re the practicalities of record keeping (a retired clergyman). The two family search images support the Early Church Records transcriptions, but are images of the parish registers. Rev McGarvie seems to have married the couple 4 November 1843, and then when writing up the SECOND register in preparation for transmitting the record, he has written 4 December 1843. I explain, the clergyman has likely had TWO registers on hand for the ceremony, one for the bride, groom and their witnesses to sign, and the other for his 'safe keeping' back up copy. The bride, the groom and two of their three witnesses have SIGNED and the third witness made his mark. All would have signed the certificate the clergyman hands to the bride (she was usually handed this as the womenfolk were the ones usually who were asked to prove their status).
Then sometime near the end of the quarter, the clergymen of all the denominations would need to write up their transmittal register and send it off for the NSW Supreme Court or at least the NSW Chaplains (depending on the era, and by 1840s it was NSW Supreme Court) to record the info in their registers.
The images that family search sent through to our OP do NOT have the autographs. They are all in the same hand, which I recognise as Rev McGarvie.
So it is likely just the one marriage, a Presbyterian service, and it was just days after the baby's Anglican baptism.
Now, I am aware (and I may have mentioned it at RChat previously), that there's parish records for Christ Church St Lawrence, that may NOT be showing up at NSW BDM's online index. The ones I am aware of are from both the era when there was just the temporary building, and also just prior to commencement of civil registration. I will need to find time to go back over some family history research I did on my own tree and Christ Church St Lawrence back in the 1970s to get the exact details, BUT there's "issues" to sort out still.
BUT I am NOW quite sure that there was just the one couple, William BROWN and Matilda WATSON in Sydney in that era.
Re The Benevolent Society and Matilda as a pauper .... Sometimes the records are detailed and sometimes scant. But it was a form of a laying in hospital, so it is likely that's where the baby was born in the May. A pauper is simply a person without visible means of support at that time, and Debra's suggestion re estrangement from her family makes good sense. I think the Mitchell Library in Sydney may have the best depth of records on the Benevolent Society.
As I could be away for perhaps almost a week, (going to Bundy Qld) may I please be excused until I have had time to get back and then search through my offline resources
Many cheers, JM
