Genealogy Chat

We were married in a busy Catholic (Irish) parish in London in 1967. One priest took the ceremony in church, & back in the sacristy, another Irish priest said "Come over here now till we make it legal". He asked us to repeat the basic vows, then we could sign the register. In Peterborough, where I live now, the priest & the layman who is the parish administrator are both registrars. Before that was allowed, in the early '80's, I often made tea for the young woman from the registry office who did overtime on Saturday afternoons!

Diane Glad to help. I have since remembered that a friend, who got married in a Catholic Church at about the same as me, had everything arranged but could not get a Registrar for the time of the wedding, so had to re arrange everything. Stressful time. Pat

Thanks,Pat.I really was totaly unaware of any of this! They say you learn a new thing every day!

I was married in a Catholic church in 1969 & had to go to the Registery Office to publish the Banns there. A Registrar was required to be present at the ceremony. Fortunately, we were married in a Cathedral & the Canon was authorised as a Registrar, so that was one less thing to have to organise. He did not have to conduct the service, simply be there at the time. This would confirm what Pamela says, & things were stricter in those days. Pat

Hi,Laurie,Someone else told me it changed a few yrs ago. I was totaly unaware of it,so it gave me quite a shock to find them on there,when I have their marriage cert. for a catholic church!

Hi Diane, If you saw the copy at Lancashire bmd it would probably say that they were married at the Church. I know from my own wedding that I had to sign the registrar at the church (Catholic) but my local registry office has a copy of it. I didn't have a registrar present, just the Priest. It might have changed since then. Laurie

Thanks,Pamela! I was sure I had read some where else about two ceremonies,that must be what it was.

I think Catholic Clergy (and methodist) are/were not entitled to register marriages in the same way as C of E, there had to be a registrar present in the church, or couples had a civil ceremony at the Register Office and a full church do as well Pam

I was just having a flick through lancashire bmd,when to my surprise I came across the marriage of my g.g.grandparents.I was under the impression that no catholic records were transcribed yet,and it says besides them;liverpool registry office,yet I have their marriage cert.which says they were married at St mary's church,Edmund st,Liverpool,which I thought was catholic! So is St Mary's actualy c of e, have they started to transcribe catholic records or did they just marry twice!!!