19 Howard St

Birth, Marriage, Death

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ianmullen
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Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2019 12:04 pm

Re: 19 Howard St

Post by ianmullen » Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:01 pm

As a matter of interest, i am doing some family research and have found that my grandfather (who lived in Coatbridge) was married at 19 Howard Street inon 26/9/1923. It was a second marriage, he having been widowed five years earlier. Married "By declaration in presence of" the two witnesses and by warrant of Sheriff Substitute of Lanarkshire.

The heading above this entry is indistinct but I can make out "If a regular marriage, signature and designation of minister *******" and "If an irregular marriage ******* Sheriff Warrant"

AndrewP
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Re: 19 Howard St

Post by AndrewP » Sun Jul 28, 2019 2:35 pm

ianmullen wrote:
Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:01 pm
The heading above this entry is indistinct but I can make out "If a regular marriage, signature and designation of minister *******" and "If an irregular marriage ******* Sheriff Warrant"
[TS_welcome]

The indistinct text should read...
  • If a Regular Marriage, Signature and Designation of Officiating Minister, and Signatures of Addresses of Witnesses.
    If an Irregular Marriage, Date of Decree of Declarator, or of Sheriff's Warrant.
All the best,

AndrewP

Currie
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Re: 19 Howard St

Post by Currie » Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:15 am

According to the Glasgow Directory there was a solicitor’s office at 19 Howard street between 1906/07 and at least 1941/42.

1906/07 https://archive.org/details/postofficea ... a/page/766

1941/42 https://archive.org/details/postofficea ... s/page/642

Younger, John, B.L., solicitor and notary public, 19 Howard street, C.1; telephone No., Central 5513.

Alan

Falkyrn
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Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: 19 Howard St

Post by Falkyrn » Tue Jul 30, 2019 12:49 pm

Marriage by Declaration was one of the oldest forms of what became known as "irregular marriages" and consisted basically of the couple declaring before witnesses that they were man and wife. When Civil registration began in 1855 various mechanisms also developed to allow the Registration of an "irregular Marriage" just as well as a "Regular Marriage".

One system which became the preferred choice of many was to have the "evidence" of the marriage produced to a Sheriff who , if satisfied that it was a genuine marriage, would issue a waarant to allow the Registration of the Marriage.
Since the evidence had to be substantiated a practice grew up of using a Solicitor as one of the witnesses which would make authentication of the "evidence" easier ... This is why so many of these marriages are in or near solicitors offices.

The Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939 which came into force in 1940 did away with this form of irregular marriage but introduced Civil Marriages by authorised Registrars and by Sheriff's Licence as we know them today.
~RJ Paton~

gray100
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 10:34 pm

Re: 19 Howard St

Post by gray100 » Sat Mar 21, 2020 11:18 pm

Have just found and irregular marriage in my family tree at 19 Howard Street on warrant from Sherrif Subsitute of Lanarkshire. As they already had 3 children since 8 years earlier would that have been the kind of evidence required? So is the marriage official from the date of the warrant? This has caused quite a bit of fuss in family.

Falkyrn
Posts: 295
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:04 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: 19 Howard St

Post by Falkyrn » Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:59 pm

gray100 wrote:
Sat Mar 21, 2020 11:18 pm
Have just found and irregular marriage in my family tree at 19 Howard Street on warrant from Sherrif Subsitute of Lanarkshire. As they already had 3 children since 8 years earlier would that have been the kind of evidence required? So is the marriage official from the date of the warrant? This has caused quite a bit of fuss in family.
Technically yes.

It may be that the couple made a declaration in front of family or friends years previously and before the birth of their children that they were man & wife. This fulfilled one of the basic forms of irregular marriage and legally was as much of a marriage as any performed in a religious ceremony.

Although the law recognised and accepted various forms of marriage outside the church there were limits on the Registration and therefore formalising of the marriage. basically the couple had 90 days from the declaration of their marriage to have it registered.

Re the children born before the marriage date - in Scots Law providing that both parties were free to get married at the time, the birth of their children is subsequently legitimised by their marriage - no matter how long after the birth that it happens
~RJ Paton~

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