SCT-EDINBURGH-L Archives

Archiver > SCT-EDINBURGH > 2006-08 > 1156284811


From: "Kim McCooeye" <>
Subject: Re: [EDB] re marriage with warrant of sherrif substitute
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:13:31 -0700
References: <BAY107-F34507C28BEB6E8F701C975B0460@phx.gbl>


Hi:

This is what I found on the internet:

There were two types of marriages in Scotland the 'regular' and the
'irregular.' The regular marriage was done by a clergy member of the Church.
An irregular marriage was not. Irregular marriages were by exchange of
promises before witnesses, by betrothal and consummation, or by cohabitation
and repute, and were forms of marriage recognised by Scots Law, yet may have
taken place without any official record of the event.

In a 'warrant of sheriff substitute' a couple would go to the office of the
local Sheriff (Sheriff-Substitute) with two witnesses. The form of
contract generally adopted was a simple written declaration of acceptance of
each other as husband and wife before two witnesses - and that form was
often drawn up by the Sheriff's office. The Sheriff (or his representative)
would then issue a "warrant" (certification of the marriage) which the
couple would present to the Registrar who would officially record the
marriage and issue a certificate.

Kim

----- Original Message -----
From: "Janet Hopkins" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 1:47 PM
Subject: [EDB] re marriage with warrant of sherrif substitute


> Hello everyone, this is my first post.
>
> I just received a marriage certificate, and I was surprised that the
couple
> were married by warrant of a sherrif substitute. I wondered if anyone can
> clarify what that meant?
>
> The bride was 21, and he was 28, so it can't be a matter of being
underage.
> She had a baby just over a year after the marriage, so it can't be that
she
> was pregnant at the time of the marriage. Does it mean that they eloped,
or
> that the family didn't agree with the match?
>
> The couple was Ebenezer Carter and Georgina Monteath or Monteith, and the
> marriage took place in Edinburgh, in december of 1892.
>
> Janet Hopkins, Canada
>
>
>


This thread: