More than one marriage record...

[Ealasaid]

I have just conducted a search for my 3x great grandparents marriage records on ScotlandsPeople and found that there are two. Both appear to be for the same couple so I'm just wondering what a marriage entailed in 1836. The first is dated 10/06/1836 and the second is dated 15/06/1836. Where there two services, one in the parish of the groom and the other in the parish of the bride? Which date is the date of their marriage, or are they both?

I have briefly read a few pages on the Internet and have found the following:

"Scottish wedding traditions started as far back as the thirteenth century. Back then the medieval church would announce each wedding in church for three successive Sundays. Such announcements were called the “banns of marriage.” The practice of proclaiming the banns in church lasted for more than six hundred years. Finally the banns gave way to a simple announcement of intent to get married and the obtaining of a marriage license from the local registrar."

Source: World Wedding Traditions.com/ Euroevents & Travel, LLC. (2002-2004). Scottish Wedding Traditions. Retrieved 16 June, 2007, from http://tinyurl.com/39sbo7


"Banns of marriage were required in areas under British rule, including Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The banns consisted of an announcement in church for three Sundays prior to the wedding. This prevented people from marrying in haste and also gave any who might object time to learn of the match. Giving a fortnights notice to the registrar is still a legal requirement in Britain. Three months is required in Ireland. Waiting periods are common in most jurisdictions of the English speaking world, with the famous exception of the State of Nevada."

Source: Celtic Wedding Traditions. Retrieved 16 June, 2007, from http://www.celtarts.com/WEDDING/traditions.htm


Any help is greatly appreciated,
Ealasaid



1st record:

10/06/1836
O.P.R. Marriages 174/0040 0141 Belhelvie
BURNETT, George
LAMONT, Mary

The said day George Burnett in this parish & Mary Lamont in the parish of Old machar signified their purpose of marriage & after publication of Banns were married. Belhelvie 11th June 1836

2nd record:

15/06/1836
O.P.R. Marriages 168/B00 0170 0050 Old Machar
BURNETT

George Burnett Farm servant in the parish of Belhelvie and Mary Lamont Old Aberdeen in this parish, signified their purpose of marriage, by Mr. Alexander Stables Elder, and being thrice proclaimed, they were married on the 15th day of June 1836 years, by the Rev. Robert Smith. Minister.

[DavidWW]

The explanation is simple.

Note that the bride and groom came from different parishes, so that the banns had to be cried in both parishes, and therefore appear in the records for both parishes.

Which of the dates is that of the actual marriage, is, as is often the case with the OPRs, a nice little puzzle.

Many of the so-called marriage records are not that at all, but just the recording of the crying of the banns.

I can't comment on the situation outside Scotland, but in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in Scotland it was never the absolute requirement that the banns were proclaimed on 3 successive Sundays, just that they were proclaimed three times.

Some ministers did this over 3 Sundays, but many did it over two Sundays, the morning and evening services one Sunday and the morning service the next Sunday.

As long as the minister knew the couple, if there were very pressing reasons for haste , the banns could be proclaimed 3 times on the one Sunday, and permission to marry granted if there were no objection in the 48 hours following !

If both the bride and groom were recent incomers to the parish it's not unusual to find that the banns were cried in their parish of residence plus each of their previous parishes of residence.

David

[Russell]

Hi Ealasaid

We have one where the Banns were called in Edinburgh (St Cuthberts) but the wedding actually took place in the parish of Penninghame, Kirkcudbrightshire. It looks as though they planned to marry in Edinburgh but were moved to work on an estate near Newton Stewart and had to obtain a note from their Edinburgh minister stating that the Banns had been duly called.
Calling the Banns was important for the Established Church which was one reason some of the irregular marriages were frowned on.
Where the couple were from different parishes usually the marriage took place in her parish, although not always.

Russell

[Ealasaid]

Thank you both for your replies.

DavidWW - The whole process is quite different from what I'm used to so it is a bit difficult for me to understand. Here is where my understanding lies today:

The first record is not the actual entry of marriage, but is the entry of the signifying of their purpose of marriage in the parish of the groom. So, on 10th June (I had the wrong date in my original post) in Belhelvie, it was entered into the parish record as the crying of the banns. I think the second record to be the actual date of marriage, because it has a bit more information, such as the reverend who performed the marriage.

Your comment about the proclamation of the banns not being strictly given on 3 successive Sundays makes sense because these two records are five days apart.

Russell - it does appear that the marriage took place in the parish of the bride, but it is good to note that this is not always the case. I thank you for all your helpful information.

[ASGROOMBRIDGE]

Reading this post about Banns reminded that my mother had told me about the reading of my Aunts Banns during the 2nd World War, my Uncle was on leave and they had their Banns cried from the Kirk steps three times in one day two hours apart, it was winter and my poor grannie nearly froze as she wanted to hear them all and walked to the Kirk the three times they were cried.
That's a mothers love for you,

Audrey