----- Original Message -----
From: "Padfield, Tim" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 3:20 PM
Subject: Post 1837 marriage registers
> The guidance acknowledges that archivists of diocesan record offices in
> England and Wales may provide copies from these marriage registers. It
also
> acknowledges that such archivists, together with Church of England parish
> clergy, clerks of Quaker meetings and secretaries of Jewish synagogues may
> supply official marriage certificates based on registers held by them.
>
> I hope that is clear, and takes account of comments that I have missed.
A few more thoughts before this thread finally disappears. Any further
comments welcome.
1 Tim Padfield, if I understand correctly, is making a distinction between
supplying uncertified facsimiles (e.g. photocopies or microfilm printouts -
which are apparently OK) and supplying official marriage certificates. He
appears to suggest that record offices will ultimately have the right to
supply the latter as well. This would be quite an innovation in most
offices. Presumably they would then be expected to obtain a supply of the
official green forms and to charge the normal seven pound fee? I wonder
whether all record offices would necessarily welcome this extra
responsibility?
Most searchers, of course, are not bothered about the copies being
certified - they just want the details. We certainly allow printouts to be
taken from microfilmed marriage registers in Cumbria. I would imagine,
considering the number of registers which have been microfilmed by the
Mormons and are now available worldwide, that it would frequently be
difficult to control the practice in any case.
2 I've sometimes vaguely wondered about the following. If I quote full
marriage details in a letter (possibly, but not necessarily, on office
letterhead paper), and I indicate that these particulars have been extracted
from an officially deposited register, and then I sign my name at the
bottom, could it be claimed that I am - in effect - issuing a type of
certificate? I suppose much would depend on the attitude of the intended
user, whilst part might depend on familiarity with the resulting document.
Whilst I don't doubt that plenty of officials would not recognise this type
of statement as evidence of a particular marriage, I wonder if there are
other people who might, in fact, be quite willing to do so? If the
practice ever became well-established, might I eventually be accused of
(illegally?) depriving the registration service of revenue?
3 I recently received a tentative initial enquirer from an experienced
transcriber as to whether it would be possible to supply copies, not just of
one or two entries, but of a whole series of post-1837 marriage registers.
Are such requests in fact quite widespread these days? The lady is rarely
able to visit in person. Most record offices will welcome good indexes and
transcripts (which substantially reduce wear on the originals) and some
may even allow such transcribers to have copies on special terms in exchange
for copies of their work. I don't know what attitude the incumbent and PCC
would take, but I rather suspect they might offer no objection. However,
would there be implications from the viewpoint of:
(i) Data Protection, particularly if they included marriage entries of
people still alive? Jonathan Pepler has referred to "a suggestion" that
copies be restricted to historic records over 75 years old, and "perhaps"
consulting the Diocesan Registrar. I can see that the latter might well be
prudent for reasons of etiquette, but would anyone care to be more definite?
(ii) The present registration service? Once full copies of registers were
in private hands, or on a computer database, it would become much less
easily to control their alternative use.
(iii) The future registration service (which is currently under discussion)?
(iv) Anything else?
Aidan Jones,
Cumbria Record Office & Local Studies Library, Barrow.
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