Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere!



Go Back   Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere! > Research > Family History General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 16-10-20, 09:33
ElizabethHerts ElizabethHerts is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 9,274
Default Number of witnesses at marriage

The Lost Cousins Newsletter has a paragraph about the number of witnesses on a marriage entry in the PRs in 1803. There were 13.

This got me thinking about my great-grandparents' marriage certificate in 1891 in Portsmouth.

I have noted them:

Louisa Hubbert Quintrell (bride's sister)
John Quintrell (bride's father)
Fanny E Quintrell (bride's sister)
Mary D Quintrell (bride's sister)
Bessie White (groom's mother)
W E White (groom's father)
T B Quintrell (Tom Bromley bride's brother)
Frank Quintrell (bride's brother)
S. Tye ?
Charles Knott (a doctor who married Fanny Quintrell)
M R-?
Stennet Sandall
Maude Cooper

So I have 13 on the marriage certificate.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/reco...2F00186059%2F2

Frank Quintrell and Louisa Quintrell also married at Portsmouth but didn't have quite as many witnesses as their sister.

Last edited by ElizabethHerts; 16-10-20 at 09:56.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 16-10-20, 10:25
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

I can't see your link because my sub to FMP has expired (!) but assuming it's the parish record entry, I wonder what you would receive if you ordered a copy of the GRO version?

Do you have any Quaker marriage records with everyone present as a witness?

I only have these for pre-1837, as the Quakers on my direct line all married in non-Quaker ceremonies after that date, except one couple - My great-grandparents married in the Quaker Meeting House in Adderbury, Oxfordshire, but I've never purchased a copy of the GRO certificate because I have this hanging on our dining room wall:



It's not a great photo because of the reflections! My g-grandfather, Henry Clark was an artist as well as a teacher, and was good at calligraphy!

There are 12 witness signatures at the bottom. I doubt that was everyone at the wedding - more likely the only people Henry managed to have sign this version, given he probably created it after the event and he and his wife lived about 80 miles away from Adderbury. There could be further signatures on the reverse - I've never seen it out of the frame.
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 16-10-20, 10:29
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

Of course because I've always had easy access to the above version of the certificate, I've never really looked at it properly Today I'm going to investogate who those witnesses were, which will get my out of doing HW
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 16-10-20, 10:37
ElizabethHerts ElizabethHerts is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 9,274
Default

I think I have the physical certificate somewhere, Merry. I'll got and have a look after I've finished my coffee.

Yes, lots of witnesses at Quaker weddings - usually the whole congregation.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 16-10-20, 10:38
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

This is the Quaker marriage of my 8xg-grandparents, Jonah Cator and Sarah Browne, 23 May 1686, at Ross on Wye:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...012?pId=342801

18 witnesses' names.
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 16-10-20, 10:38
kiterunner's Avatar
kiterunner kiterunner is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 25,270
Default

As for marriage certificates, I'm sure I have one with about 6 witnesses on it, but nowhere near 13.
__________________
KiteRunner

Family History News updated 29th Feb
Findmypast 1871 census update
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 16-10-20, 10:47
Olde Crone Olde Crone is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,768
Default

I have a church marriage entry with 11 witnesses, one of whom was so excited she signed it twice, lol. It was a double wedding.

Merry - what a beautiful thing to have.

OC
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 16-10-20, 10:49
ElizabethHerts ElizabethHerts is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 9,274
Default

The GRO certificate has all the witnesses too, which I thought it did.

This is the marriage of my 4x-great-grandparents (Quakers) Joseph Jeffcoat and Mary Eaton:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...3e89&pId=98645

There seem to be 38 witnesses!

Last edited by ElizabethHerts; 16-10-20 at 10:51.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 16-10-20, 11:29
Merry's Avatar
Merry Merry is online now
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 21,264
Default

Thanks OC.

Quote:
The GRO certificate has all the witnesses too, which I thought it did.
Interesting. I wonder if they still did when there were too many to squeeze on?!

I have quite a few with between 20 and 30 signatures. This one:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...55f&pId=289740

has 40, but isn't the original. John Tyler and Mary Tayler are my 5xg-grandparents.
__________________
Merry

"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 17-10-20, 00:03
Mary from Italy's Avatar
Mary from Italy Mary from Italy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: N. Italy
Posts: 3,727
Default

Are the originals of pre-1837 Quaker marriage certs available anywhere? I have a marriage in Coventry that I'm really interested in, because the original signatures might help me solve a mystery, but the signatures on the Ancestry image all look suspiciously similar.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 21:23.


Hosted by Photon IT

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7 PL3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.