Marriage cert question

[kiya]

Does anyone know... If a father died prior to one of his children's marriages, would he always appear with 'deceased' after his name on a marriage certificate?

[stanmapstone]

No, the information on the certificate is supplied by the people getting married, and it is up to them to inform the priest/registrar.
Stan

[kiya]

Thanks.  I was hoping to use that to tie down info as to when someone had died (they are elusive in the censuses), but can't if it's not reliable.

[Plummiegirl]

My G/G/Grandfather is listed on several of his childrens Marraige certificates as 'deceased'.

He was alive and well, living with his 2nd much younger wife and the children, on the same street as all his other children.

His 2nd wife was the same age as some of his older children and had been a neighbour, so I am assuming that his marriage was not approved of, hence he was dead to them!!!

So no certificate can be guaranteed 100% accurate.   

[jbml]

I have several marriage certificates where a father was not marked as "deceased" even though he died anything up to 20 years previously.

On the other hand, I have also been able to prove the non-decease of a father from a marriage record in a parish register, because he was one of the witnesses, and there was his signature bold as brass. It has long been customary for fathers - particularly the bride's father - to be witnesses to the marriage if they are still alive. So this can be a good way to prove a father is still alive. If he was not one of the witnesses then this does not disprove - but it raises a certain presumption that he may have been, and should perhaps act as a prompt to search for a death prior to the date of marriage.

[kiya]

Hmm, in hindsight I should have realised the problems with any historical document.  I think I'll blame my temporary insanity on having 2 children under 2!

Thanks for all the replies though!

[weste]

I've some fathers entered on marriages Certs where they are deceased but does n't say so and vice versa but as the cert asks for the fathers name not the status I suppose that's to expected.

[Sloe Gin]

I think it depends on whether the question was asked, and often it probably wasn't.

[Plummiegirl]

And you also have the problem of 'invented' fathers.

I have a gt/gt/aunt who like her younger sister were both illegimate.

However, when she married she named her father.  Now I know that the name she gave was no one who existed nor was there anyone who was a surgeon by that name. 

However, both sisters in later life adopted a new middle name.  Which incidently had been used as her surname on the first census she appeared on, later changed to her proper surname.

Both Birth certiciates have no father listed.  And there is an 8 year gap between them.  My opinion is that their mother was a 'mistress' to some well to do bloke who would not marry her!