Please post the following message I have recently viewed a marriage certificate (1868) at the Scotland’s People website. I now wish to see the original or a copy thereof so that I can compare the signature of the witness to that marriage with his own English marriage certificate to ascertain (hopefully) whether or not they are the same people. A photo-copy of the original English marriage certificate (1877) is readily available from the Cheshire Records Office but I am advised by Scotland’s People that there is no way that I can ever view other than the Registrar’s copy of the Scottish marriage. This means that I cannot ever see the actual signatures (even on a photo or digitised copy) on the Scottish document. This seems to be the case for all marriage certificates since the commencement of civil registration in Scotland. I understand, again from Scotland People, that this is a relatively recent restriction. It seems that copies are not kept by The Fife Records Office or the Church of Scotland or the Fife FHS. Is there any work around? If not, and the originals have been lost forever to the vaults of the National Registers of Scotland’s archive, was any objection lodged by the Society or any other body when this was introduced? It seems a travesty of the principles of record keeping and of freedom of information if the original signed document is forever inaccessible. Before I try to take this further through the National Registers of Scotland or my MSP have any other members run up against this problem? If so have they (or anybody else) any suggestions – perhaps, even a freedom of information application? Thank you