Genealogy Chat

I've just received a copy of my g grandparents marriage cert and was expecting it to be a printed one but it is actually a copy of the original entry and the writing is quite difficult to make out and there are a couple of words on it that I can't decipher.Are there any websites that give examples of old style writing so I could maybe have a go at trying to work out what these words are.Any help would be very much appreciated as I have been so excited about this certificate!! Sad eh!!! Angie

In which columns are the 'problem' words? Can you decipher any of the letters? Reg

How lovely, is it your first ever cert? As Reg says, if you do your best to put down what it looks like and what column it is in, we can all try to help.

Are you able to scan the certificate and send it by email? If so let me know and I'll send you my email address and will have a go at deciphering it for you. Kath. x

Not I spose sig (for signature?) and after the x not 'his mark?' As Kathleen says, if you can scan and send it we can have another look?

Hi Kathleen I have scanned the cert because I thought if I could zoom in on the words it might help but no matter how I look at it I can't decipher it-if you are happy to have ago I would be really grateful-at least I know he is definitely an ancestor -he's proving so bloomin awkward he can only be part of my family!!! Thanks Angie

Hi Reg and Heather it is the first cert I have actually sent for and g grandad has proved very elusive to try and chase up so it was lovley to see more details about him.The problem bit is where it says this marriage was solemnized etc. it states Edward Lee (my ggrandad) then a very short word about 3 letters long which possibly starts with an S then there is the sign of a x and then a word after this but I just cannot make out what it is and I'm sure it must be something 'significant' but maybe thats just me wanting it to be something really exciting!!! I just wondered if a website would show me examples of old writing because it can be very misleading can't it?

I have sent you my email address in a personal message. Kath. x

Hi Heather yes the short word could well be sig because the more I look at it the more it looks like an S but still not sure about the other word. Angie

I'll hazard a guess at Edward Lee his x mark. In other words he didn't actually sign his name.

Have sent you a reply Angie. It does say ...his x mark. Kath. x

Hi Kathleen thanks for that , I look forward to sending for other certs now ,its very addicitive this family research isn't it. Thanks to all of you for your help, its very much appreciated. Angiex

Angela, check out the names of the witnesses too and see if they are of any help in your research.

It certainly is addictive Angie. I can tell you though, that you will find some certificates a LOT harder to read than that one. Some of mine look like a spider has jumped in a bottle of ink and then rolled round the certificate. It's still just as exciting when they drop through the letterbox though, and I must have about 70 certificates now. Good luck in your research. Kath. x

Hi Kath and Heather I think I've already managed to find a connecetion with one of the witnesses and I do have some other names to go on so I'm now going to spend the next couple of hours trawling though records etc ,blow the ironing, the cooking, the washing ................!!! thanks for all your help everyone Angie x

I love getting certificates through the post and count the days after first ordering them! Deciphering them is all part of the fun! I recently received a birth certificate that had been transcribed and TYPED - I was so disappointed, it just wasn't the same somehow... and it took longer to arrive! Just waiting for payday now so that I can order my next 'fix' lol, Sue

Ang, if youve only just started, you will be saying blow the washing and hoovering for the next 3 years or so until things slow down on the finding ancestors front. I only wish I had more certs to send for now.

I've been saying blow the washing etc for as long as I can remember so I don't need many excuses except I also have to wait until I get paid again -only just started new job and think I've already spent this months wages-God i hope I DO get paid now!!!!! Angie x

Make sure you never pay more than £7 a cert.

Please be aware that if you are ordering certs via GRO you can specify certain criteria, e.g. father or mother (on birth certs), or occpation on death certs, and if it doesn't tie in, they only charge £3. If you order from the local register office and it doesn't tie in, they return your cheque or cancel your credit card info, so it costs you nothing but the two stamps. If you are ordering more than one cert and paying by cheque, send a separate cheque for each cert, as they cannot give refunds. Regards Margaret