Sunday, May 28, 2023

Found! A Marriage Record for Robert Laws and Elizabeth Thompson

Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws are my third great-grandparents.  I've had their names and marriage date for a dozen or so years but my source was undocumented family records, passed by word of mouth, then written and copied, then passed on again and again.  That source for records in my Doyle line has been inaccurate many times.  I knew the record was available at a FamilySearch Center (on Film 1068674 Item 6 or 4629104 which may be the same) but I never made my way to the one near my home.  This record comes from FindMyPast's Northumberland Marriages collection which, I believe, was transcribed from the records held by FamilySearch.

1834 Marriage record of Robert Laws and Elizabeth Thompson from Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland
This is a transcription of the record.

[At top of page, not visible in photo]
Marriages solemnized in the Parish of Tynemouth in the County of Northumberland in the Year 1834
page 67.
[Transcription of image]
Robert Laws of this Parish
Bachelor
and Elizabeth Thompson of this Parish
Spinster
were married in this Church by Banns
this Twenty-first day of
June in the Year One Thousand eight hundred and thirty four
By me Christn Reed, Vicar
This Marriage was solemnized between us  { Robert Laws   his X mark
                                                                      { Elizabeth Thompson   her x mark
In the Presence of  { Thomas Oxley 
                               { James Pye
No. 200.

Notes and Comments
  • My line from this couple:  Robert & Elizabeth -->  Elizabeth Jane Laws Doyle -->  William Doyle -->  Gust Doyle --> Lee Doyle --> me
  • June 21, 1834, was a Saturday.  That surprises me, though it probably shouldn't.  Robert was a miner, likely having only Sundays off work so it makes sense that they would arrange to marry the day before.
  • Robert was 24 when they married.  Elizabeth was 17.  It's surprising that a 17-year-old was described as "spinster."
  • Civil marriage records in England began in 1837.  Had they waited till then to marry, that record would have stated Robert's occupation.
  • This marriage record is available for viewing with a subscription at FindMyPast.  I'm grateful for the image but I do wish I could get to the first pages of the marriage registry to see for myself that it comes from Christ Church. 
  • I was curious about Christ Church in Tynemouth and found this short video giving a history of the building.  I love seeing the places where events in the lives of my ancestors happened.  (And listening to British accents.)



I'm grateful for online images and the indexing that makes them easier to find.

—Nancy.

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