This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: margeryedmonds2 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.wig.general/2167.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The laws of marriage were quite different in England and Scotland. In England, marriage was a religious sacrament as well as a legal contract and a marriage was not legal unless celebrated by a minister of religion in a parish church. In Scotland however marriage arrangements were based on principles of mutual consent rather than religious ceremony. After registration of births, marriages and deaths was introduced in Scotland in 1855,irregular marriage could be registered if: * the couple presented themselves before a sheriff or magistrate, were 'convicted' as parties to an irregular marriage, and paid a fine. * some couples found it quicker and cheaper to have their 'irregular marriage' entered in the schedules under the sheriff's warrant, than go to the expense of banns and a regular marriage ceremony (in church) * marriages established in court by a Decree of Declarator could also be registered, on production to the registrar of an extract (copy) of the Decree and payment of one pound. In 1939, marriage registered by sheriff's warrant ended. I have copied this information from a paper published on the internet by the University of Glasgow - School of Social & Political Sciences, and called "Scottish Way of Birth & Death"/ chapter "Marriage - The Law". Margery Edmonds Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.