Marriage certificate

[mickawinn]

The marriage took place in 1912 with the groom giving a false name but the certificate was reissued in 1931 with the grooms correct name shown. Would there be any record of why this was done, by whom and who authorised it? I have asked the GRO but they cannot help.

[CaroleW]

You could try ringing the registrars office in the locality where the marriage took place.  No guarantees though.

Was he a bigamist?  Whilst doing my friends FH we finally found that her grandfather was a bigamist.  He served a term of imprisonment but remarried the second"wife" when he was released having been granted a divorce whilst in prison.  First wife died many years after him & we don't know whether she ever knew about it. 

[mickawinn]

I have tried the bigamist route but cannot find any marriage using his birth name or any of the many aliases he used during a long and unsuccessful criminal career.

[softly softly]

Did the groom marry the same person  in 1912 and 1931. Also is it too delicate to share names?

SS

[AntonyMMM]

From what you say there must have been a correction made at some point between 1912 and 1931. In that case the original register entry should have a marginal note giving details of who applied for the change and when. If the marriage took place in a church then that is the register that would have to be changed.

That note in the margin should be reproduced on any certificate issued afterwards.

To work out what may have happened it would necessary to see & compare the 1912 entry and the 1931 certificate.

[mickawinn]

The original certificate dated 22 August 1912 showed the groom’s name as Frederick Albert Edward Anderson, the wedding taking place at St Luke’s Church, Bromley. The note appearing on the copy I have says “In entry No 37 col 2 for Frederick Albert Edward Anderson read Frederick Albert Dennison otherwise Frederick Albert Edward Anderson, col 3 for 38 read 37 and in col 7 for Anderson read Dennison corrected on the 3rd December 1930 by me J Short vicar in the presence of Frederick Albert Dennison and Alice Dennison the parties married”
Can you just go to the church and ask for this sort of change or is there an official process to be gone through?
The wife and two subsequent children ended up for a short while in the Poplar poor house under the name of Anderson but I don’t know their forenames and haven’t found a birth under either surnames. (Wife’s maiden name Drew)

[softly softly]

Possibly one son

ANDERSON, ROBERT  HARRY     mmn DREW 
GRO Reference: 1913  J Quarter in BROMLEY  Volume 02A  Page 1086

SS

[AntonyMMM]

That correction doesn't specifically say he gave a false name - it says that at the time of the marriage he was using two names ( hence the term "otherwise").

There are processes for corrections and what sort of evidence you need and whose authority has to be obtained depends on the nature of the change. Whatever the circumstances clergy were renowned for not always following registration rules to the letter - in fact they cannot make such corrections themselves anymore.

The couple were both present to confirm the information being given - the vicar making the correction may have questioned them about it to satisfy himself but that wouldn't leave any record. You will often see the marginal notes mention a "statutory declaration" being made which is a simple statement signed and witnessed, but that doesn't appear to have been asked for here.

[softly softly]

DENNISON, JAMES  EDWARD     DREW 
GRO Reference: 1918  J Quarter in BRISTOL  Volume 06A  Page 65  Occasional Copy: A


Births Jun 1918   
Anderson    James E    Drew    Bristol    6a   65    
Dennison    James E    Drew    Bristol    6a   65

SS

an interesting birth

DREW, FREDERICK  CAMERON ANDERSON    - 
GRO Reference: 1910  S Quarter in WESTBURY-ON-SEVERN  Volume 06A  Page 264  Occasional Copy: A

James, Frederick and mother Alice together in 1921 in Bristol.

Frederick Cameron Dennison     (appears with same dob in 1939 with wife)
4 Jun 1910
Jun 1985
Bournemouth
Dorset

Aboves 1937 marriage image online on Anc*