I wonder if I can ask for listers' interpretation of a surname on a 1967 marriage certificate : The groom's name is "Brown", he is a widower, aged 62. The brides' name is "Mary Brown" formerly known as "Mary Smith". She is a spinster, aged 51. I know that this couple had many children together, the first in 1936 and the last in 1957. Is it likely that the bride changed her name by Deed Poll or another official route (is there one?), or did she just go by the name of Brown informally ? The marriage took place in a Register Office. I would appreciate opinions..... Eunice

> I wonder if I can ask for listers' interpretation of a surname on a > 1967 marriage certificate : > > The groom's name is "Brown", he is a widower, aged 62. > The brides' name is "Mary Brown" formerly known as "Mary Smith". She > is a spinster, aged 51. > > I know that this couple had many children together, the first in 1936 > and the last in 1957. > > Is it likely that the bride changed her name by Deed Poll or another > official route (is there one?), or did she just go by the name of > Brown informally ? This seems most likely. If the first marriage of Mr 'Brown' had broken down by 1936 (or only a few years later despite the offspring), then he and Mary could easily have set up house without bothering with a divorce. Indeed, if he was the one who had committed the matirmonial offence, only his wife could sue for divorce and if she refused, then he would have to wait till she died. As he was now free, and getting on in yeqars, a late marriage was a good precaution, to avoid problames with probate when he died. Mary had been known as Brown for some time, and was now honestly admitting to this, so that there could be no difficulties with other paperwork. (Things like retrospective complaintts about false information on an identity card application, joint bank accounts, even house deeds, though joint ownership by spouses was less normal then. No formal legal process need have been gone through in the past. You could call yourself whatever you liked, provided it was not for passing off in trade (i.e. an actress must not claim to be Elizabeth Taylor, and a politician could not stand as Winston Churchill) There was talk of stopping this system - did anything come of it? EVE > > The marriage took place in a Register Office. > > I would appreciate opinions..... > > Eunice > *************************************** > > BGS Website: http://www.bucksgs.org.uk/ > BFHS Website: http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/ > Bucks Genuki Website: http://met.open.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/BKM/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BUCKS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message