City of London - Genealogists' Forum

Mandy in Wiltshire · #1 18-03-10, 15:05

This is the first time I've come across a birth, marriage or death in the City of London so I'd appreciate some help please

I've just received the marriage certificate (1838) for OH's 3x great-grandparents. They were both resident in High Wycombe at the time of their marriage (which is what we were expecting) but their marriage took place in the Parish Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West, City of London.

Firstly, why would they have both been resident in High Wycombe but married in a City of London parish? Would it have had anything to do with the groom's father being a 'gentleman'? The church was, and still is, in Fleet Street.

Secondly, the parish registers are apparently held at the LMA. I seem to remember a while back something about the LMA being closed - was that just temporary or have the records been moved?

Thanks to anyone who can help

Sue from Southend · #2 18-03-10, 15:18

Can't help with why they might have married in the City but the St Dunstan's records are part of the LMA records available on Ancestry. If you don't have access post the details and I'll have a look!

Jill · #3 18-03-10, 15:48

Some of the City churches are guild churches, did the family have any connection with a particular trade/profression? A quick google reveals St Dunstans had links with cordwainers & Hoares Bank.

Mandy in Wiltshire · #4 18-03-10, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue from Southend

Can't help with why they might have married in the City but the St Dunstan's records are part of the LMA records available on Ancestry. If you don't have access post the details and I'll have a look!

Thanks for your help, Sue, I've sent you a message

Mandy in Wiltshire · #5 18-03-10, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jill

Some of the City churches are guild churches, did the family have any connection with a particular trade/profression? A quick google reveals St Dunstans had links with cordwainers & Hoares Bank.

Jill, I found the website for St Dunstans in the West and it says that it became a Guild church in the 1950s for people working in and around Fleet Street. I'll have another look because I didn't see anything about cordwainers and bankers.

I don't know the trade of the groom's father because under occupation, it just says 'gentleman'. It's all very interesting because this is the first time I've had any dealings with the City of London, the LMA and a gentleman lol.

Merry · #6 18-03-10, 17:28

If neither of them had an address in the parish then the marriage should not have been by banns. Was it?

Mandy in Wiltshire · #7 18-03-10, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merry

If neither of them had an address in the parish then the marriage should not have been by banns. Was it?

Ooerr, it looks as though it was! The writing's not terribly clear but I can make out the bit where it says "....of the Established Church after Banns by me" and instead of his full name, he's just put his initials followed by "Bishop's Curate".

Merry · #8 18-03-10, 18:06

I think he wrote W C Bishop, curate - so Bishop was his surname!

For the banns to be read one of them would have had to give an address in the parish, but I guess if the curate knew that wasn't their regular address he was at liberty to write their usual address on the cert.

Mandy in Wiltshire · #9 18-03-10, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merry

I think he wrote W C Bishop, curate - so Bishop was his surname!

Oh what a fool I am *blushes*

How did you know his initials were WC??

I'm wondering if they were married there because the groom's father had some connection with Fleet Street and that particular church?

Merry · #10 18-03-10, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandy in Wiltshire

Oh what a fool I am *blushes*

How did you know his initials were WC??

Because I'm psychic?!! I looked for a marriage in that church in 1838 to see what he wrote and, as it happened, the one I looked at (out of dozens) was the one for the people from High Wycombe!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandy in Wiltshire

I'm wondering if they were married there because the groom's father had some connection with Fleet Street and that particular church?

Maybe. My relatives tended to marry in London when they shouldn't have been marrying at all, but maybe yours were not so naughty!! lol