Missing Paterson/Look-up or suggestions, please

[Rodeo]

Gavin Paterson (b. 1769 in Glassford to Gavin Paterson and Janet Rogers), who was a shoemaker by occupation, married Agnes Paterson, presumably a cousin. Yet, I can find no record of their marriage in the OPR index on SP.

Their son, Gavin Paterson (born circa 1811 in Glassford), also a shoemaker, married Annie Muirhead in Glasgow in 1848. I have found this Gavin Paterson in the 1841 census living in Castle Street, Hamilton, with his mother Agnes, aged 64, and his brother Robert, aged 25.

My assumption is that the marriage of Gavin Paterson and Agnes Paterson was not registered because it was not mandatory at that time. However, I am wondering if this marriage might be found in the BIVRI. Is it more comprehensive?

Could someone kindly do a look-up in the BIVRI or suggest another resource where I may find a record of this marriage? Am I overlooking something here?

I'm at an impasse and would be most grateful for any assistance.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[LesleyB]

Hi Rodeo
There are many reasons why a marriage might not be found on SP.
It may be that records were not kept in that parish at that time. Or it may be that records were kept and have since been lost or damaged or destroyed. It may be that the family were not Church Of Scotland (post 1855 marriages may indicate this).

A good idea at this point might be to check the possible church the family may have belonged to in post-1855 marriages, (just in case it is not CoS) and check out the reported condition and coverage of the Glassford OPRs.

GROS has at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files1/f ... 1to660.pdf
645. GLASSFORD†
645/1
B 1692-1820
M 1692-1819
D
645/2
B 1820-54
M 1820-56
D
† See Appendix 1 under reference CH2/463

But this does not mean that the records are complete for these periods.
See http://books.google.com/books?id=aCELAA ... #PPA105,M1

"Glasford - The Earliest is dated 1692. They are rather confused from the first, and have not been regularly attended to for the last 37 years." [pub.1849]

Best wishes
Lesley

[Rodeo]

Hi Lesley

Thanks so much for your reply. I have taken account of all the excellent points you've made. Would this marriage be likely to have been recorded in the kirk sessions for Glassford (assuming that they were married in Glassford and not Hamilton, where many of my Glassford forebears were wed)? I know very little about the BIVRI but am given to understand that it is more comprehensive. Is that correct? Post-1855. my ancestors are UP, Free Church and, otherwise, all over the shop religiously.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[LesleyB]

Hi Rodeo

Would this marriage be likely to have been recorded in the kirk sessions for Glassford

I was making assumptions (not always a wise move!) based on the fact that you had said that both Gavins appear to be born in Glasford. Kirk Session records for Glasford are held at NAS. Their catalogue http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/ states:
CH2/463/2 Minutes, minutes and collections re Poor, and proclamation of marriage 1766-1860
so worth checking...

Post-1855. my ancestors are UP, Free Church and, otherwise, all over the shop religiously

If your Gavins were either of the above churches or anything else other than CoS (tends to be referred to as "the Established Church" on post 1855 documents) then it is highly likely they would not turn up in a CoS OPR. Sometimes non established church records do make an appearance in the local parish church records, but often not.

I don't know if the BIVRI would be likely to be a help or not- if they have extracted the marriage proclamations from the Kirk Session records, then it would certainly be worth a look. As far as the LDS web site gives info, it seems that some areas are much better covered than others: e.g.
for Lanarkshire there are 338,372 births & christenings and 10,067 marriages on the disks, but for Kinross there are 12 births & christenings and no marriages at all.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Rodeo]

Many thanks again, Lesley.

Cheers,

Rodeo