Cyber Seance 10

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Moonwatcher
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Cyber Seance 10

Post by Moonwatcher » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:08 pm

Cyber Séance. 20 Mar 2005

The Declared Marriage

The following wee story is based on the numerous accounts of ‘Declared Marriages’ given by a number knowledgable posters on TS (and previously SP). It’s also drawn from personal records discovered during the course of my own research. I apologise in advance for any ‘technical’ inacuracies which I’ve allowed to creep into the tale. The blame for such faults rests with me and me alone and I welcome others to correct me where I’m considered to be in error. Please bear in mind that the tale is basically an attempt to visualise the uniquely Scottish process of ‘Marriage by Warrant’ of days gone by, in an entertaining way, and should not be considered otherwise…

SCENE: Outside a tenement building, Dennistoun, Glasgow, early 1900s.

The Glasgow drizzle finds four dishevelled punters standing outside the building. Two women and two men, hunched forward against the rain. Coat collars turned up and hats pulled down over ears, they mill around, hesitant to climb the wet steps leading into the close of the sandstone tenement that houses the solicitor’s office.

JIMMY: [Water dripping from the end of his nose] “Right urr yiz ready?”
MAGGIE N’ SHUGGIE: “Aye. Tell izz whit wurr s’posed tae dae again ?”
SENGA: “Urr yeez sure iss’ll wurk? Ah mean, wull it bae aw legal innat?”
JIMMY: “Look, course it’ll work, hunners ah folk dae it – it’s cawed ‘declarin yer merrage’. It’s jist lik eh real hing ‘cept ye cut oot eh middle man.”
SENGA: “Cuts oot a ferr chunk eh the romance iz well!”
SHUGGIE: “Bit dae ye no need a minister urr a priest urr sumhin?”
JIMMY: “Naw, aht’s eh beauty eh it. Religion disnae maiter. Iz long iz wae foallie the instructions oan iss bit ah paper wae cannae go wrang.”
SENGA: [The bride to be, wearing her posh frock under a heavy sodden coat and being the only one of the quartet that can read, examines said piece of paper, which turns out to be scribbles on the back of a bookie’s line!] “Wher’d ye get this anywae?”
JIMMY: “Aff a guy in eh pub. Ah helped im oot wae sumhin an eh wantit tae return eh favour. So whin eh heard aboot you an me wantin tae get merrit eh explaint it aw an wrote it doon furr meh. Eez brother-in- law’s a lawyer in here an eh pit a wurd in furr meh. Eh guy’s expectin us right noo tae dae the business.”
SENGA: “Says ere thit yiv goat tae make yer voos in front ah two witnesses…”
MAGGIE N’ SHUGGIE: “Aht’s us!”
SENGA: “An en yiv goat tae go tae the Sheriff an prove yiv done it, an he gies ye a bit a paper tae take tae the Registrar.”
SHUGGIE: “An en whit?”
JIMMY: “He enters it intae the book a merrages an aht’s it – yer merrit!”
SHUGGIE: “Zatright? Dae ye no hiv tae let yer minister know? Ah mean, iz he no likely tae feel a bit left oot?”
JIMMY: “S’pose eh might, but ah hivnae telt him.”
MAGGIE: “Ah heard thit ministers an priests urnnae happy wae iss kinna hing. Mah pal says thit thae considir it tae bae ‘irregular’ an thit aw merrages should bae done through eh church.”
JIMMY: “Well it’s no yir pal thit’s getting merrit izzit! Cumoan, mah shoes urr lettin in, let’s get oan wae it afore ah grou webbed feet!”
MAGGIE: “Right let’s get stertitt, it’s mah turn eh the sterrs eh night an ah need tae bae getting hame.’
JIMMY: [squinting up at the close] “Eh… Aye… Right…”
SENGA: “Yer no hivvin seckin thoats urr ye?”
JIMMY: “Eh? Aw naw, no me hen! Ahm deid keen.”

The motley band make their way up the steps, Jimmy lagging behind as fear begins to take a grip. Senga turns, grabs his arm, and pulls him through the doorway.
“Cumoan you, yer no gonnae chinje yer mind noo!”

The opaque glass on the office door displays the name Silas N Court. Solicitor. The lawyer rises from his desk as the sodden group shuffle in and stand dripping before him.
It’s not often he finds himself having to return a favour but this is one of those rare occasions. Best to get on with and get them out the office before they ruin the carpet.

LAWYER: [Offering his hand] “Hello you must be… ?”
JIMMY: “Jimmy [shaking the hand vigorously, sending spray over the desk and furnishings]. Yer brother-in-law sent meh tae ye, aboot daein eh wee merrage hing innat.”
LAWYER: “Yes, [drying his hand on his trouser leg before referring to a sheet of paper on his desk] I have the details here. You wish to carry out a Declaration of Marriage I believe?”
JIMMY: “Aye, quick iz ye kin. [Senga draws him a sinker]
LAWYER: [Smiling at the two women] “And who is the lucky woman?”
MAGGIE: [Stepping back smartly] “Well it’s no bliddy me, aht’s furr sure!”
SENGA: [Blushing] “It’s me. I’m the… bride.”
LAWYER: “And you two will be the witnesses then?”
MAGGIE N’ SHUGGIE: “Aye we’re them.”
LAWYER: [After writing down the details on the paper in front of him] Okay Jimmy, would like to start?
JIMMY: “Stert whit?”
LAWYER: “Your declaration?”
JIMMY: “Oh aye, that! Right. [coughing to clear his throat]. Ah hereby declare… ah s’ppose… thit ah Jimmy… want tae get merrit tae Senga here!”
SENGA: “Whit dae ye mean ‘Ah s’pose’, urr ye no sure?”
JIMMY: “Aye, course ah um hen. [Standing proud, head up, in a loud voice] Ah declare mah wish tae merry Senga!”
SENGA; “Whit else?”
JIMMY: “Whit dae ye mean, whit else? Zaht no enough?”
SENGA: “Urr ye no gonnae say how much ye love meh innat?”
JIMMY: “Bit ye know that – daint ye hen? [Senga nods, unconvinced]
LAWYER: “Okay, it’s your turn Senga, make your declaration.”
SENGA: “Eh. Same iz he said.”
SHUGGIE: “Aw cummoan! Aht’s no very romantic.Ye need tae say the wurds.”
SENGA: [Embarrassed] Awright en! Ah Senga, want tae merry Jimmy and hiv eez weans.”
JIMMY: “Great! Let’s write aht doon an get it tae the Sheriff.
MAGGIE: “Whit aboot a ring?”
JIMMY: “Whit ring?”
SHUGGIE: [Thinking on his feet and fumbling in his coat pocket, brings out a brass ring that fell off the bridle of his carthorse the day before] “Ere it is”
JIMMY: “Wher’d ye get aht?”
SHUGGIE: [Winking] “Dae ye no remember Jimmy? Ye gave it tae meh afore wae left an telt meh tae haud oan tae it! [Wink. Wink.]
MAGGIE: “Hiv you goat sumhin wrang wae yer eye Shuggie?”
JIMMY: “Aw aye! Ah remember noo. Ah furgoat aboot it in eh heat the minnit.” [He takes the ring and tries to push it onto Senga’s middle finger – it wont go! So he pushes on to the one next to it]
SENGA: [In tears and holding his hand] “Iss iz eh maist memorable day eh mah life.”
JIMMY: “Aye, it’s no likely tae bae wan ah’ll furgett either hen”
MAGGIE: [In tears] “Urr yeez no gonnae hiv a wee kiss.”

He pecks Senga on the cheek, looks romantically into her eyes…

JIMMY: “Right, attsit en! Let’s get doon tae the Sheriff’s oaffice an dae the business.”
LAWYER: “Hold on, I’ll get you to sign this first.”
SHUGGIE: “Ah cannae write!”
MAGGIE: “Don’t look it me, neither kin ah!”
JIMMY: “Ah kin dae ‘cat’, ‘dug’ an ‘baw’, bit ah cannae dae long wurds urr aht jined up writin.”
SHUGGIE: “Aht’s no much help, izzit?”
LAWYER: [Scribbling furiously] “Don’t worry, I’ll just record what has taken place here with your personal details, get you to put an X under your names then I’ll sign and date it and you can take it to the Sheriff Substitute as evidence.”
JIMMY: “Aye, aht soonds eh gemme.”

Later. At the Sheriff Court. Jimmy and Senga sit impatiently outside the Sheriff Substitute’s office.

JIMMY: [Muttering] “Ah don’t like iss. Ah don’t like eez places. Makes meh feel lik a common criminal.”
SENGA: “Bit ye urr a common criminal!”
JIMMY: “Ah’ts only coz a goat coat! An anywae, aht’s no whit ah mean, ah hivnae done nuthin. Ah don’t like iss place. See at cop ower err?”
SENGA: “Eh wan wae the big truncheon?”
JIMMY: “Aye at wan. Eh keeps lookin it meh.”
SENGA: “Evrybiddy’s lookin it ye Jimmy. Gonnae take aht bag aff yer heid!”
JIMMY: “Whit if ahm recignised?”

They’re interupted by the office door opening and a sombre lookin man in a black suit beckoning them within.

SHERIFF SUBSTITUTE: [Completely devoid of any form of expression, humour or feeling] “Declaration of marriage is it?”
JIMMY: “Aye, your… sheriffness.”
SS: “Proof?”
JIMMY: [Defensively] “Naw no me yer warship, straight iz a die me.”
SS: “Do you have proof of your Declaration?”
SENGA: “Aye yer honour… here.”

She hands over the envelope from the lawyer. He opens it, unfolds the letter contained within and places it on his desk.

SS: “This seems to be in order.”
JIMMY: [Getting fidgity] “Kin ah ask ye sumhin yer emphasis?”
SS: [Furrowing his brow] “Go ahead.”
JIMMY: “Yoor eh Sheriff Substitute izzat right?”
SS: “Correct.”
JIMMY: “Kin ah ask whit happint tae the real Sheriff, wiz eh injirt urr sumhin? Like, did sumbiddy hiv a go it im in court like, bringin im doon, pittin eh boot in innat? An yoor eh substitute, like in eh fitbaw? Aowww!”

The cry of pain is caused by the sudden, sharp contact of Senga’s boot against Jimmy’s shin. As he cowers down massaging his leg, the Sheriff Substitute thumps a rubber stamp on the paper before him, initials and dates it, folds it back up, returns it to it’s envelope and gives it back to Senga. They leave, Senga walking proudly, Jimmy limping.

Later that afternoon at the Registrar’s office.

JIMMY: “Ah know iss place well enough. Ah hope it’s eh same guy thit ah usual deal wae. Eez good, very unnerstaunin innat. Kinna nervous kinna guy though.”
SENGA: [Fingering her ring nervously] “An diz iss make eh whole hing legal?”
JIMMY: “Izz faur iz ah know.”

When they enter the Registrar’s office Jimmy’s surprised at Reggie’s appearance. He seems older, drawn, than he last remebered him.

JIMMY: [Extendin his hand in greeting] “Hullawrerr! Howzittgaun!”
REGGIE: “Good Afternoon Jimmy. Please sit down. And this will be your new wife I assume?”
JIMMY: “Aye! Issiz eh missis! Wee cracker izz she no?”
REGGIE: “She certainly is. Now do you have the document from the Sheriff Substitute?”
SENGA: “Aye Sir, ah’ve goat it here.”

As she digs it out her bag, Jimmy takes a look around. He’s got to know this office quite well in recent years. In a rare moment of insight it strikes him that everyone in Dennistoun must pass through here at some point or another, either as an informant or as a name on a bit of paper. Such deep thoughts don’t come often to him and he feels a headache coming on. He also notes that Reggie’s desk is completely clear, no paper, ink, blotter, pens – nothing. Reggie peruses the document for a moment and removes his register from a desk drawer, along with a pen and bottle of ink. He pauses for a moment and asks Jimmy and Senga to move back a bit, away from the desk. Jimmy notes the nervousness he mentioned to his wife earlier. The office is briefly filled with the sound of chair legs scraping across the polished wooden floor as they comply with his request. Only when he is satisfied they are both at a safe distance does he open the register, loads his pen with ink and begin to write;

In the first column he enters the date and the address – 1 Duke Street. Under it he writes, ‘By Declaration in presence of Margaret McGlumpha, Millworker and Hugh McNamara, Carter. In the following columns he enters the names and details of Jimmy and Senga, their parents and the address at which they are currently staying. Senga signs her name and Jimmy puts his X. In the penultimate column Reggie writes; ‘Warrant of Sheriff Substitute of Lanarkshire’ and he enters the date.

Reggie hesitates as he dates and signs the document in the last column.

JIMMY: “Urr ye okay ther big man?”
REGGIE: [Looking up and over his thick lensed glasses] “Oh! Um! Yes. Thankyou, I’m fine Jimmy. It’s just that… you see I… well, this will be my last entry. I retire today. You and your wife are my last… clients.”
JIMMY: “Aw sorry tae here aht. Hiv ye bin daein iss joab long?”
REGGIE: “More years than I care to remember.”
JIMMY: “An did thae no tell ye when ye stertit thit it wisnae permanent?”
SENGA: “Ye must’ve seen an oaffie loat in yer time?”
REGGIE: [Blotting the registrar and beginning on the copy] “Yes, I suppose I have.”
JIMMY: “Ah mean ye must’ve seen whole faimlies come in an oot a here, bein boarn, getting merrit, dyin.”
REGGIE: “Indeed I have.”
JIMMY: “An did it no depress ye at aw?”
REGGIE: [Looking up and out the window for a moment] “Sometimes, but there were pleasant times as well.”
JIMMY: “So diz aht mean eh joab’s up furr grabs then?”
REGGIE: “Pardon?”
JIMMY: “Well, if thers an openin, an considerin eh nummer ah times ah’ve bin in here, ah mean ah reckin ah kin dae this joab, whit dae ye hink.
REGGIE: “I don’t…”
SENGA: “Jimmy ye cannae write, ya numptie, how kid ye dae iss joab?”
JIMMY: “Oh aye! Ah furrgoat aboot aht. Bit if ah learned tae write a could apply couldn’t ah?”

Reggie smiles, folds the copied marriage extract and hands it to Senga.

REGGIE: “I hope you will both be very happy together.”
SENGA: “And we hope ye hiv a happy retirement Registrar.”
JIMMY: “Aye.”
REGGIE: “Thankyou.”

As they leave, he hears Jimmy say to his wife “Ah could definitely dae that joab!”



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On the 14 February 1916 my great aunt, Alice Wilson, married Richard Watson. At the Registrar’s Office at number 1 Duke St, Glasgow the marriage was officially recorded – ‘By Declaration… Warrant of the Sheriff Substitute.’ The witnesses were, John Watson, a riveter, and Margaret Wilson, a housekeeper. It was during wartime and Richard was serving with the 6th Battallion Scottish Rifles. Following their hurried marriage they parted, not knowing if they would ever see each other again. Richard survived WW1 and the couple lived a long and happy life in the Garngad area of Glasgow.

Bob.

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Post by AndrewP » Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:54 pm

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