Genealogy Chat

While searching ancestry and freebmd I have come across 2 marriage certificates for what seems to be the same couple! ................................................................................ In 1867 John Burns married Jane Greep in Stoke Damerel (devenport) ................................................................................ In 1870 John Burns married Jane Greep in Stoke Damerel (devenport)! ................................................................................ Could there really be TWO couples with the same names in the same town? Greep is not all that common, and to have both given and surnames identical is unusual isn't it? ................................................................................ I hope someone can shed some light on this for me! Thank you for your time, -Kat.

Hiya I transcribe for freebmd. The list of marriages on freebmd for a particular quarter and location refers to a number of people married at the same time. Even if you only have one man and one woman it may not be that they were married to each other. Sadly you'd have to send off for the certificate to clarify the spouse. All the entries on the register are entered by two separate transcribers and sometimes you can see different permutations of a name because the handwriting on some of the entries is pretty difficult to read. I saw one for a Stanley Gan and a Stanley Gau (obviously the same person) if the two transcribers write the same thing then the entry will show in bold print. Also FreeBMD is nowhere near complete yet though we are all working our socks off! Have you tried spending a fiver on 1837 online to check these entries, it might clarify whether there are genuinely 2 separate marriages? Hope this helps a bit Best wishes A

Katrina I've had a look - and yes, it is very strange! I also transcribe for FreeBMD, and as these marriages are over three years apart, with the same volume number, but different page numbers, I think the only way to solve the puzzle is to actually look at the original registers, to see what has happened. Perhaps there was a reason for registering the marriage twice, although I can't think why. Maybe by looking at the original registers something will become clear? Janet Northamptonshire

Seen in the register for Tankersley WRY, haven't got the date or the exact wording handy, but something like: [following a marriage record] "The above couple were married at Sheffield [the previous year]. Some doubt having arisen as to the validity of that marriage, they were remarried as above"