For general information see
Introduction to Civil Registration

The Exploring Family History Tutorial

Marriage Certificate

Available for marriages after July 1st 1837

From Gladys's birth certificate (view) and the 1901 census (view) it seems likely that Thomas Horwood and Florence King married between about 1885 and 1891.

Task: Get full details of the marriage, including occupations, addresses, details of fathers and witness names.

The quickest way to search the Marriage Certificate index is by using the FreeBMD web site.

First Name Thomas
Last Name Horwood
From Mar 1885
To Dec 1891
Counties Greater London

The search produces the following responses:

Marriages Jun 1885

HORWOOD Thomas Greenwich 1d 1291

Marriages Jun 1889

HORWOOD Thomas William Hackney 1b 797

Marriages Dec 1891

HORWOOD Thomas Hendon 3a 241

One can check by carrying out the same search for Florence

First Name Florence
Last Name King
From Mar 1885
To Dec 1891
Area Greater London

The search produces 10 responses, one of which matches the Thomas Horwood entries

Marriages Jun 1889

King Florence Maud Hackney 1b 797

In fact, two marriages are recorded on each page of the register - and the FreeBMD web site provides a shortcut. By clicking on the page number we get:

Marriages Jun 1889

FINCH Charles Edward Hackney 1b 797
HORWOOD Thomas William Hackney 1b 797
King Florence Maud Hackney 1b 797
Marshall Sarah Ellen Hackney 1b 797

Using the above reference a copy of the marriage certificate was purchased online from the General Register Office:

Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church
in the  Parish of Stoke Newington
in the County of Middlesex
When married April 20th 1889
Name and surname Thomas William Horwood Florence Maud King
Age 26 22
Condition Bachelor Spinster
Rank or Profession Diamond Mounter -
Residence at the time of Marriage 84 Hawkesley Road 84 Hawkesley Road
Father's name and surname James Horwood George William King
Rank or profession of father Butcher Case Maker
Married in the  Parish Church ... after Banns
By me R Garreth Blackmore    Curate
This marriage was solemnized between us Thomas William Horwood Florence Maud King
in the Presence of us G W King
Alice Lurline King

[Warning: Neither of the fathers are described as "deceased" - but this does not mean that they were alive at the time of the marriage. Subsequent tutorials will discover that both had died years before.]

Result of Investigation

The Marriage Certificate provides more information on the happy couple, where they were married, and living at the time, and their fathers's names and occupations. The witnesses are probably relatives of the bride and, if "Lurline" is a correct transcription, a very distinctive name.

[The information found agrees with, and extends, the information given in the bible (view)]

 

Exploring Family History Tutorial

Previous Session Index Next

Genealogy in Hertfordshire Home Page

Page created November 2005