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Marriage at the British Embassy, Paris

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John

John Report 26 Aug 2011 17:23

Many marriages at the British Embassy in Paris were the result of elopements. In England parental consent to marriages was required. This did not apply to marriages in Scotland or overseas. Paris was an alternative to Gretna Green. Have you checked the ages of the happy couple at the time of the marriage? I think the law came in in about 1755. After this look for elopements and under-age spouces.

John Morris

mgnv

mgnv Report 10 Aug 2011 17:46

Jan (of little faith) - of course folk know - one didn't have to wed in the embassy.

If Brits had to marry locals in the embassy, it would create logistical nightmares in 1840. E.g., a seaman wants to wed his Vladivostok sweetie. it's nearly 10000 km to St Petersburg on the Trans-Siberian RR - which wouldn't be completed for another 70+ y, so it's sail half-way round the world, past London into the Baltic.

The GRO only hold consular records back to 1849.
For a list of what minor records the GRO holds, see appendix at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_186584.pdf

Ancestry don't index the minor records, but FMP do.

PS Check the GR boards for US lookups one will see plenty of examples of Brits marrying foreign (US) nationals, and never in the embassy in Washington DC.

Andy

Andy Report 10 Aug 2011 10:51

Hi Jan,

Thats brilliant, thanks for that, i will give those sites a go!

brummiejan

brummiejan Report 10 Aug 2011 10:08

Andy - while not impossible, it's only a slim chance that anyone on here will know the answer. Have you tried googling your query?

I did find this, might offer a little bit of insight:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/next_steps/int_06_british_overseas_01.shtml

http://ukinsaudiarabia.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-saudi-arabia/Marriage

Or you can try asking the embassy!

http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/our-embassy/how-we-can-help/comments-questions/

Jan

Researching:
Myatt, Hanks, Eccleston, Powell, Clungunford, Birmingham

Andy

Andy Report 10 Aug 2011 07:49

Hi,

My gggreat grandfather Alexandre Baudry married Jane Ford in 1840 at the British Embassy in Paris. I was wondering if anyone knows if a French subject marrying a British subject had to marry there, if it means Alexandre is from around Paris (as i believe he may be from Bordeaux) or just any information about British Embassy marriages that may be of interest.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Andy