Marriage certificate

[cavor3]

Do the fathers of the married couple have to be alive when they are recorded on the certificate

[maddys52]

There are quite a few threads on RootsChat about this. I'm assuming you are asking about the UK? My understanding is that the father does not have to alive to be recorded. Sometimes it will say "deceased", but it depends whether the question was asked or whether the couple stated it to the Registrar (or Priest etc, whoever was filling in the form).

[cavor3]

Thank you Maddy

[coombs]

No, usually the fathers name will be recorded whether he was alive or not, and often it will say "Deceased" in brackets but in the earlier years this tended to be rare. In 1845 my ancestor's brother married and listed his father's name and occupation, and it did not say whether he was alive or not, the father had died in 1831.

I have occasionally seen just the word "Dead" under father's name and occupation when trundling through July 1837 onwards London marriages on Ancestry. The occasional lazy registrar omitting vital info that could come in useful for descendants.

[BumbleB]

Apologies, coombs!!

I do not quite understand why you consider that it is the Registrar who omits information.  I understand that it is his/her duty to incorporate the information as given by the groom/bride. 

[coombs]

Apologies, coombs!!

I do not quite understand why you consider that it is the Registrar who omits information.  I understand that it is his/her duty to incorporate the information as given by the groom/bride.

Dont start with the passive aggressive "apologies but" please. I was merely just guessing that a registrar could be lazy even if given then info and may have said "I'll just put dead instead of giving his name".

[BumbleB]

Fair do's!  Each to their own

[rosie99]

Do the fathers of the married couple have to be alive when they are recorded on the certificate

They don't even have to exist as no proof would be required.  An illegitimate child could easily invent a father.

[Pinetree]

I was just going to say the same thing Rosie, certainly have a few examples of that in my tree.

Pinetree