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Marriage by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate

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  • Marriage by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate

    I have been looking at Marriage Certificate Tutorials and Googling and am still confused

    When a couple is married by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate, does that certificate exist, in the same way that a licence exists where a marriage is by licence? - and why would the couple not simply get married by licence?

    Assuming I have the right couple, the family story is that the Vicar advised the bride-to-be not to go ahead with the wedding. So it seems odd (at least to me!) that the Superintendent Registrar should then issue a certificate, and the Vicar then proceed to conduct the marriage ceremony (C of E).

    (BTW this is nothing to do with the H.W. Wicks saga - it is possibly my other set of grandparents!) :D
    Last edited by Muggins in Sussex; 06-12-08, 17:18.
    Joan died in July 2020.

  • #2
    Just typed a load of rot and realised I was wrong - will go and look!

    OC

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Muggins in Sussex View Post
      I have been looking at Marriage Certificate Tutorials and Googling and am still confused

      When a couple is married by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate, does that certificate exist, in the same way that a licence exists where a marriage is by licence? - and why would the couple not simply get married by licence?

      Assuming I have the right couple, the family story is that the Vicar advised the bride-to-be not to go ahead with the wedding. So it seems odd (at least to me!) that the Superintendent Registrar should then issue a certificate, and the Vicar then proceed to conduct the marriage ceremony (C of E).

      (BTW this is nothing to do with the H.W. Wicks saga - it is possibly my other set of grandparents!) :D
      A marriage by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate is the civil equivalent to a marriage by banns.
      A notice is pinned on the message board in the Registrar’s office for 21 days to allow for any objections. If there are no objections a certificate of marriage (not to be confused with a marriage certificate) is issued allowing the marriage to proceed.
      If the couple come from two different districts the notice is posted in both districts and one certificate of marriage has to be collected and produced to enable the marriage to go ahead.

      Marriage by licence is more expensive but slightly quicker.
      Cheers
      Guy
      Guy passed away October 2022

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Guy View Post
        A marriage by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate is the civil equivalent to a marriage by banns.

        Cheers
        Guy
        Thanks, Guy - I'm still puzzled - the marriage was in St George's Parish Church, Altrincham, and conducted by a vicar -

        Last edited by Muggins in Sussex; 06-12-08, 17:45.
        Joan died in July 2020.

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        • #5
          I believe this was sometimes done so that a non-conformist Minister could marry the couple. Anyone know when it became legal for non-cons to conduct marriages?

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          • #6
            Muggins

            How bizarre! Maybe the couple didn't want to have banns called, but I can't understand why they didn't just apply for a marriage licence?

            Perhaps they were going to marry in the register office and the vicar gave way about marrying them - but put the note about the certificate to abdicate his personal responsibility? I understand that anyone has a right to marry in their own parish church regardless of the vicar's views and whether or not they attend church.
            ~ with love from Little Nell~
            Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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            • #7
              Muggins' cert shows the marriage was according to the Rites & Ceremonies of the Established church (ie C of E) so not non-conformist.
              ~ with love from Little Nell~
              Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Little Nell View Post
                Muggins

                How bizarre! Maybe the couple didn't want to have banns called, but I can't understand why they didn't just apply for a marriage licence?

                Perhaps they were going to marry in the register office and the vicar gave way about marrying them - but put the note about the certificate to abdicate his personal responsibility? I understand that anyone has a right to marry in their own parish church regardless of the vicar's views and whether or not they attend church.
                Thanks, Nell - I hadn't thought of that.

                The only other unusual thing about this certificate, is that it appears to be a scanned copy and I got it from the local Register Office from where I have got many other certificates, which have all been handwritten - just seems a bit odd
                Joan died in July 2020.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Little Nell View Post
                  Muggins' cert shows the marriage was according to the Rites & Ceremonies of the Established church (ie C of E) so not non-conformist.
                  Yes, I know, but I have a similar marriage, in 1858 - both parties were born to Baptist parents (their births are registered in Baptist records), but married in a C of E church by Supt Registrar's certificate.

                  Neither of them lived in the parish where they were married.

                  I remember asking about this ages ago, maybe on GR, and someone suggested that it was a way of getting married by a non-con Minister. Presumably the C of E vicar would still have to sign the cert, if it wasn't legal for the Minister to conduct marriages.

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                  • #10
                    Perhaps it was used to override a Vicar's objections, or misgivings? (Which is what I wrote and deleted, lol) where neither party was known to the Vicar and he suspected some funny business or was just a belt and braces type of chap?

                    OC

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                    • #11
                      For my marriage I had to have a Superintendent Registrar's certificate. I was living in England and the wedding was in my wife's then church in Scotland. She had the banns read there (though as it happened she was living in England by then).
                      Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Mary from Italy View Post
                        Yes, I know, but I have a similar marriage, in 1858 - both parties were born to Baptist parents (their births are registered in Baptist records), but married in a C of E church by Supt Registrar's certificate.

                        Neither of them lived in the parish where they were married.

                        I remember asking about this ages ago, maybe on GR, and someone suggested that it was a way of getting married by a non-con Minister. Presumably the C of E vicar would still have to sign the cert, if it wasn't legal for the Minister to conduct marriages.
                        Thanks, Mary - I have looked at the backgrounds of both bride and groom, and there is no history of non-conformism - they also both lived in the parish where they were married. The marriage was in 1905.

                        I keep coming back to the story that the vicar advised the future bride not to go ahead with the wedding. From all accounts, the groom was a very violent alcoholic, (I think he was probably my grandfather) and the bride was from a rather more respectable family - yet both witnesses are from the bride's family.
                        Joan died in July 2020.

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                        • #13
                          Is it possible there were no regular services in the church? (seems unlikely, but you never know). Banns can't be called if there is no regular weekly service and a sup reg cert is cheaper than a licence.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
                            Perhaps it was used to override a Vicar's objections, or misgivings? (Which is what I wrote and deleted, lol) where neither party was known to the Vicar and he suspected some funny business or was just a belt and braces type of chap?

                            OC
                            Thanks OC - am not sure - both parties lived in the parish - but yes, it certainly seems the vicar had misgivings - so then maybe the couple approached the Superintendent Registrar who somehow managed to change the Vicar's mind ?

                            (BTW this is nothing to do with the Wicks side - this is my other possible grandparents!) LOL
                            Joan died in July 2020.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Muggins in Sussex View Post
                              When a couple is married by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate, does that certificate exist, in the same way that a licence exists where a marriage is by licence? - and why would the couple not simply get married by licence?
                              Joan, do you mean, does the certificate exist at the time of the wedding, or do you mean does it still exist now? Not many marriage licences are still around; what you can usually look at in record offices etc are the bonds and / or allegations but the actual licence itself was held by the couple and so most haven't survived.
                              KiteRunner

                              Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                              (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by Merry Monty Montgomery View Post
                                Is it possible there were no regular services in the church? (seems unlikely, but you never know). Banns can't be called if there is no regular weekly service and a sup reg cert is cheaper than a licence.
                                Thanks Merry - but I think that's unlikely as other "family" members seemed to marry there quite normally! :D
                                Joan died in July 2020.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Maybe the bride and groom went to the vicar to see about getting married and he expressed his reservations. They then went to the registrars and intended to marry at the reg office. Maybe then one party (probably the bride or someone in her family) went back to the vicar and pointed out that the couple were going to marry anyway so wouldn't it be better in church than not? At this point the vicar relented and as they already had the sup reg cert they used that for the church ceremony.

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                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                                    Joan, do you mean, does the certificate exist at the time of the wedding, or do you mean does it still exist now? Not many marriage licences are still around; what you can usually look at in record offices etc are the bonds and / or allegations but the actual licence itself was held by the couple and so most haven't survived.
                                    Thanks, Kite- I think what I meant was does a certificate exist now? - Wishful thinking, I am sure, but just was thinking it could possibly show the Superintendent's Registrar's reasons for issuing the certificate ?

                                    I just don't know......I have lived all my life only knowing who one of my grandparents was.......and am a bit scared of ever discovering the truth.. I suppose because it could change my perception of who I am.

                                    Sorry if that sounds silly :o
                                    Joan died in July 2020.

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                                    • #19
                                      Dunno where my certificate went, I just handed it to the minister and he performed the ceremony. I presume it just got filed somewhere.
                                      Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Originally posted by Uncle John View Post
                                        Dunno where my certificate went, I just handed it to the minister and he performed the ceremony. I presume it just got filed somewhere.

                                        Thanks UJ - I presume the certificate was on display for some time before the ceremony ?
                                        Joan died in July 2020.

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