Find Living Relatives

Thank you so much for that info, +++DetEcTive+++! -- and others re the registry office clues. I'll pass that on to my cousin right away. There's still time for the eulogy!

Heavily Edited

If a relative is willing, they could ........phone or visit...... the Preston Reg office on Monday and pay for an express/priority search of the marriage registers. The GRO references would be meaningless to them. Tell them the names as they appear on the index + year and quarter

Lancs BMD link as posted earlier gives the local reference details BRM/22/164

Surname DORAN
Forename(s) William Joseph
Surname RAWSTHORN
Forename(s) Florence
Church / Register Office Burnley Register Office or Registrar Attended
Registers At Preston
>>>>>Reference BRM/22/164 <<<<

Contact details
Lancashire Rose Suite, Bow Lane , Preston , Lancashire, PR1 8SE (for post) PR1 8RL (for navigation)
>>>>>Tel: 0300 123 6705 <<<<<
Fax: 01772 531012
Email: [email protected]
Office hours (for appointments) 9am - 4.30pm

Considering the circumstances, they may be willing to give the date over the phone, or even if they wanted payment, to verbally pass on the details you need if no one is availably to collect the certificate.

GRO charge £23.40 per certificate with a next day despatch. The Reg office fee would be something similar or a bit more.

http://www.catholicdirectory.org/Catholic_Information.asp?ID=63237 has the contact details for St Mary Magdalene's church in Burnley

There are other RC churches in Burnley in case the marriage wasn't in that parish

St Mary of the Assumption
http://www.catholicdirectory.org/Catholic_Information.asp?ID=63236

St John the Baptist
http://www.stjohnsrcburnley.org/

Christ the King
http://www.catholicdirectory.org/Catholic_Information.asp?ID=63233

Could have been a Catholic Church because at that time you had to have a registrar at the church

I married in 1957 and we had to be married by the registrar in the vestry after the Catholics church ceremony

At that time the Catholic priests weren't legal registrars

A search on the Lancsbmd site notes that the marriage was in a register office or a registrar attended.

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

If they have records am guessing they would be archived

I have never found churches put themselves out it look for records TBH

In most cases I have had to phone more than once and got told we will do it when WE have time!!!!

Thankyou all for the suggestions and information, especially the 1939 register.

You are right about it being too late for a posted certificate from the GRO, even within the UK. They had a pilot, now ended, for emailed certificates which would have been the best way to do it. I was hoping the certificate would show the church, since we don't know where to look for parish registers.

Florence was the youngest of four girls, none of whom had children. She was 96, so there are few relatives left. Her grandniece who lives in Cumbria was overseas when Florence died last week, so she is trying belatedly to find information, and may have to resort to a search of the house. The wedding might have been one of those very controversial 'mixed marriages' between different faiths.

Doe anyone know whether Mary Magdalene's church in Burnley keeps records?
I am in Australia so I'm a bit limited in my resources. As always, the response from the GR community is just wonderful. Thank you!
(Going to bed now - it's 1a.m.- will check in tomorrow.)

Would she be living in St. John's road Burnley

If so is a quick trip to the house possible to look for the cert

Am surprised she is an open record. They have Picked up her marriage

1939 register

Rawsthorn Household (3 People)
32 Athol Street , Burnley C.B., Lancashire, England
Start free family tree View original imagePrint
FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB OCCUPATION
Thomas Rawsthorn 26 Oct 1890 Boot Repairer
Alice Rawsthorn 18 Mar 1893 Retired
SEX
Female
MARITAL STATUS
Married
SCHEDULE
184
SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
2
Florence Doran (Rawsthorn) 12 Jan 1920 Sorter Of WaxedFood Cartons
Ref: RG101/4310H/014/04 Letter Code:
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Doesn't help with the marriage date though

See what you mean. She seems to be an only child

Births Mar 1920
Rawsthorn Florence Berry Burnley 8e. 388


Edit. I missed the earlier ones

Births Sep 1911 (>99%)
RAWSTHORN Lily Berry Burnley 8e 306
Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Births Dec 1913 (>99%)
Rawsthorn Mary Berry Burnley 8e 339
Births Mar 1916 (>99%)
Rawsthorn Edna Berry Burnley 8e 304
Births Mar 1920 (>99%)
Rawsthorn Florence Berry Burnley 8e 388

That's far too soon especially as there's the weekend in between

You can order certs on express delivery but would doubt you will get it in time

Doesn't her family have a copy of the cert or know the date

Edit looking on freebmd there doesn't appear to be any children