Genealogy Chat

My 3xg g/parents married twice. I was wondering what the marrige age was in these years if anybody knows? In 1884 they marry in the Parish Church by Banns and her age is 19, ONE year later the remarry at a register office by certificate and her age is stated as 21 though this is not correct, I have both certs and they are the same ppl. He was in the military and his rank changed over this period too. Any ideas? And which would be classed as the marriage date for the tree?

A man had to produce his Marriage Certificate in the army in order for his wife to claim a widow's pension should anything happen to him. Often the Certs. were lost and it was easier to remarry than to apply for a duplicate. I've got 2 'married twice' couples in my tree and both men were in the army. Did the second marriage take place near his barracks? this is the case with mine.

Suzanne Marriage age was 12 for girls, 14 for boys, until 1927 (I think, but certainly into the 20th century) with parental permission. OC

I don't know really. He was stationed in Dover not sure where Hartlepool is really. There is also 2 registrars on the cert Deputy and Supt Registrar maybe it is an army thing

Hartlepool is in the north-east!!! Many miles from Dover. Are you sure it's the same couple?

Ahhh now this post has really interested me. I've had a puzzle that I've been putting off doing something about for quite a while because of the expense involved. Records at the India Office British Library can be very expensive at £20 a pop!!! I have a Scottish couple married 1849 in Glasgow...several years in the army in India + children, and all of a sudden up pops another marriage for people with the same name in Sealcote, India in 1862. There are also another couple of children involved, born in India. Now I'm not sure that this is the same couple or another lot by the same name....oh dear! Do I bite the bullet??? Decisions, decisions :-( Sylvia

As has been said it may be they had lost the original certifiate, or it may be that the first marriage had taken place without the permission of his commanding officer, which I believe serving soldiers were supposed to have. Perhaps he had been posted away and so got permission and married again in order for his wife to receive an allowance. The first marriage was the legal one which should count for your tree though I'm sure you'll want to put both on, if you're sure its the same couple. The presence of both Superintendant and Deputy Registrar in the register office was required because the marriage was by certificate I believe.

Thanks, yes definately same couple, I did't know hartlepool was so far from dover not that it helps the mystery anyway LOL I did use the original date (the first one) on the tree but have noted that they registered twice.