On 27/02/2014 11:44 AM, John and Karen Stoneley wrote: > Thanks for that Adrian. > > I am sorry that my loose terminology has confused the issue. What I > should perhaps have said is that what I want are copies of the original > entries in the two church registers for comparison. > To clarify the position - a James Ferguson was born in 1852 . According > to his baptismal record this James was the bastard son of James Ferguson > of Arbroath and Isabella White (unmarried) of Weemys. Isabella raises > her son whilst living with her great aunt and eventually marries one > Hally Martin in Weemys in the Church of Scotland and a James Ferguson > (most probably her son but not necessarily so) is a witness. > > My great grandfather, James Ferguson marries in Warrington in 1877. The > marriage took place in St Elphin's church and the church register for > that marriage is held at Cheshire record Office. His signature is > available in that register . > > Quite simply I want to examine the signature made by great grandfather > on the St Elphin's register with the signature of the witness to > Isabella White's marriage in the kirk in Weemys. Nobody can, with any > degree of certainty tell me where that signed piece of paper is. I > believe it to be in New Register House Edinburgh but even the staff do > not seem sure. It would appear that what you wish to see is the Schedule C referred to here: "Registration of regular marriages. XLVI. In all Cases of regular Marriages, when the Certificates of the Proclamation of the Banns are given out, such Certificates shall be accompanied by a Copy of the said Schedule (C.), and upon the Solemnization of the Marriage, such Schedule, having all the Information thereby required inserted therein, shall be produced to the Minister solemnizing the Marriage, or to the Person solemnizing any Marriage according to the Rites and Forms respectively observed by Jews and Quakers, or shall be filled up in the Presence of such Minister or Person, and shall be signed by the Parties contracting the Marriage, and by the Witnesses, Male or Female, present thereat, not being less than Two, and also by the Minister or Person officiating, and be delivered to the Parties contracting the Marriage, who shall within Three Days thereafter either deliver or send by Post such Schedule to the Registrar of the Parish wherein the Marriage was solemnized; and the husband, and failing the Husband the Wife, shall in case of Failure so to deliver or send such Schedule be liable in a Penalty not exceeding Ten Pounds; and upon being received by the Registrar, the Particulars of such Schedule shall be forthwith entered by him in the Duplicate Registers; *and all such Schedules shall be taken by the Registrar with the Duplicate Registers to the Sheriff, and shall be transmitted by the Sheriff with the Duplicate Registers to the Registrar General, for Preservation in the General Registry Office*." This being section 46 of An Act to provide for the better regulation of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in Scotland. [7 August 1854] 17 & 18 Vict. c.80 known as Registration (Scotland) Act, 1854 <http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/AssociatedView?path=Browse&active=yes&mno=4048&assoctitle=The%20development%20of%20the%20General%20Register%20Office%20%28Scotland%29&assocpagelabel=> which can be seen (with the form) at http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/View?path=Browse/Legislation%20%28by%20date%29&active=yes&mno=4048 It would appear, therefore, that the signed Copies of Schedules C were eventually to find a home with the Registrar-General (Scotland) and should still be there. Hoeever, these schedules do not appear listed at http://www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk/research/marriages-1856-present.html or http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/family-records/leaflet-s1.pdf I think, in your shoes, I would (if an e-mail enquiry to New Register House proved unfruitful) be writing to the R-G (S) asking for the whereabouts of the Schedules transmitted to him for Preservation. A short history of Scottish registration is here http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/View?path=Browse/Essays%20%28by%20geography%29/Scotland/General&active=yes&mno=2003 Kind regards John Henley > > I have written to New Register House and also to AGRA members in > Edinburgh to see if they can help. > > If, of course the original record , signed by the participants, has > been lost or destroyed then that is the end of the matter, but if it is > in New Register House somewhere then I should be able to see a copy of it. > > I have been tracing the elusive James Ferguson for 30 years and this > seemed to be a chance of possibly identifying where the man came from > in Scotland. No other certificates I am afraid. > > I will post the result of my avenues of research. > > Regards > > John > > 7/02/2014 10:41, Adrian Bruce wrote: >> <<snipped>> >> I have recently vi