Married but not in church

Parish Records and other sources

Moderator: Global Moderators

DorothyCoe
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:58 pm
Location: Peebles

Married but not in church

Post by DorothyCoe » Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:52 am

A puzzle.

I've just downloaded a page of marriages from Aberdeen in 1818. Every single one on the page was married by a minister, but in someone's house, either the minister's or the bride's mothers, or someone else entirely.

What does this mean? Why were none of them married in a church?

Dorothy
Dorothy Coe
Family Names: Coe, Atkinson, Kerney, Ramsay, McGregor, McCurrach, McNaughton, Mackie, Horne, Cordiner, Milne, Porter, Gibson
Top
LesleyB
Posts: 8184
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:18 am
Location: Scotland

Post by LesleyB » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:27 pm

Hi Dorothy
What does this mean? Why were none of them married in a church?
That is perfectly normal for the times. It was unusual at that time for people to be marreid in church. I think, as far as I'm aware, that min the Church of Scotland (which the OPRs deal wtih) to marry in a church only really became popular in the very late 19th C and on into the 20th C.

Best wishes
Lesley
Top
DorothyCoe
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:58 pm
Location: Peebles

Post by DorothyCoe » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:36 pm

Really Lesley? I didn't know that. So the other OPRs that I have don't say the marriage took place in a house just because they all did! I see.

And this OPR tells of whose house it was because... the recorder was particularly conscientious?... or was there status attached to it? Did it matter if it was her house or his or someone else's?

Do you know, one question is never enough in this business is it? And each answer just leads to more questions ...

:?
Last edited by DorothyCoe on Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Dorothy Coe
Family Names: Coe, Atkinson, Kerney, Ramsay, McGregor, McCurrach, McNaughton, Mackie, Horne, Cordiner, Milne, Porter, Gibson
Top
DorothyCoe
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:58 pm
Location: Peebles

Post by DorothyCoe » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:36 pm

Oops and thanks Lesley! :oops:
Dorothy Coe
Family Names: Coe, Atkinson, Kerney, Ramsay, McGregor, McCurrach, McNaughton, Mackie, Horne, Cordiner, Milne, Porter, Gibson
Top
LesleyB
Posts: 8184
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:18 am
Location: Scotland

Post by LesleyB » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:52 pm

Hi Dorothy
The wedding might also take place in a village hall or similar.
I think the session clerk in the Parish you are viewing was just being conscientious - which adds a lot more colour from our point of view a couple of hundred years later, so hats off to him!

I'm sure there are books which go into the subject in far more detail...just can't think of one off the top of my head at the moment. Suggestions welcome...


Best wishes
Lesley
Top
Liz Turner
Global Moderator
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:28 pm
Location: Renfrewshire, Scotland

Post by Liz Turner » Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:54 pm

I think the situation may have arisen because it is the minister who conducts the service who is registered and not the venue where the wedding takes place. I have many instances from 1920 back in time, where the marriages have taken place in houses, hotels etc.

Liz
Fife: Nicolson, Cornfoot, Walker, Gibson, Balsillie, Galt, Elder
NE Scot: Nicolson, Lindsay, Haliburton, Ross
Edin & Central: Nicolson, Blaikie, Stevenson, Ross, Hotchkiss, Suttie, Christie, Clelland, Gray, Purvis, Lang, Dickson
Ross & Cromarty: Ross
Top
HeatherH
Global Moderator
Posts: 700
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:30 pm
Location: Nova Scotia ,Canada

Post by HeatherH » Fri Aug 15, 2008 2:31 am

All my certs have my rellies either married at home ( usually bride) or the Manse.
HeatherH
Looking for ...but not limited to Haldane ,Keir ,McLauchlan ,Walker ,Torrance , Reid ,Clark ,Johnstone ,Holmes ,Laurie ,Lawrie ,Strachan , McIlwee ,Welsh ,Queate ,Stewert ,McNight ,Steele ,Cockburn ,Young ....whew! That's more than enough for now.
Top

Return to “OPRs and others”