Two for One

Several years ago whilst undertaking my Diploma of Family Historical Studies with the Society of Australian Genealogists I was searching for certificates of family relatives in Victoria. I was able to locate several marriages that occurred within that state, by using the Victorian marriage index on CD-ROM. Having the registration numbers in hand, I proceeded to the Births, Deaths & Marriages Victoria website.

Using a reference number (VICBDM Marriage Reference 1885/4665) and names for one of the marriages I had on file, I proceeded to pay for and download the PDF document containing the scan from the original register. Within five minutes I had an A3 printout of the certificate (shown below). With marriage certificates received this way, there are two additional entries on the page besides the one that you ordered and in rare situations, such as this, you strike it lucky.

On this particular occasion I had hit the jackpot in that on the bottom of the page was the marriage of the brother I had just searched for, the marriage that occurred six weeks later at the same venue. (VICBDM Marriage Reference 1885/4667)

Source: Online image of Victorian Marriage certificate for Peter William Auld and Rose Mitchell, married 11/07/1885, registered in the Registration District of Bourke (Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages, Marriage 1885/4665) and Marriage certificate for James Wallace Auld and Harriett Stevens, married 20/08/1885, registered in the Registration District of Bourke (Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages, Marriage 1885/4667)

Transcription of certificates

The following is a transcription of the first Victorian marriage shown in the image above between Peter William Auld and Rose Mitchell. Peter and Rose were married 11 July 1885, with the marriage registered in the Registration District of Bourke.

VIC MARRIAGE REGISTRATION TRANSCRIPTION - REF NO 1885/4665
GROOM	Peter William Auld
STATUS	Bachelor
PLACE OF BIRTH	Melbourne
OCCUPATION	Iron Moulder
AGE	23
PRESENT RESIDENCE	1 Nowry Street North Carlton
USUAL RESIDENCE	1 Nowry Street North Carlton
FATHER	John Auld
OCCUPATION	Baker
MOTHER	Jane Auld M.S. Fair
BRIDE	Rose Mitchell
STATUS	Widow 1883 (2 living children from previous marriage)
PLACE OF BIRTH	Gippsland
OCCUPATION	Hotel Keeper
AGE	24
PRESENT RESIDENCE	Castlemaine
USUAL RESIDENCE	Castlemaine
FATHER	William Halstead
OCCUPATION	Farmer
MOTHER	Mary Jane Halstead M.S. McCauthy
DATE OF MARRIAGE	11 July 1885
PLACE OF MARRIAGE	Erskine Manse Carlton
RELIGION	Presbyterian Church of Victoria
WITNESSES	Thomas Fair, Jane S. Yule
MINISTER	Alexander Yule

A transcription of the third Victorian marriage shown on the page image above between James Wallace Auld and Harriett Stevens follows. As above, the marriage was registered in the Registration District of Bourke, with James and Harriett being married on 20 August 1885.

VIC MARRIAGE REGISTRATION TRANSCRIPTION - REF NO 1885/4667
GROOM	James Wallace Auld
STATUS	Bachelor
PLACE OF BIRTH	Beechworth
OCCUPATION	Brickmaker
AGE	27
PRESENT RESIDENCE	Northcote
USUAL RESIDENCE	Northcote
FATHER	John Auld
OCCUPATION	Baker
MOTHER	Jane Auld M.S. Fair
BRIDE	Harriett Stevens
STATUS	Spinster
PLACE OF BIRTH	Brentwood England
OCCUPATION	Tailoress
AGE	22
PRESENT RESIDENCE	Drummond St Carlton
USUAL RESIDENCE	Drummond St Carlton
FATHER	George Stevens
OCCUPATION	Tailor
MOTHER	Sarah Stevens M.S. Appleby
DATE OF MARRIAGE	20 August 1885
PLACE OF MARRIAGE	Erskine Manse Carlton
RELIGION	Presbyterian Church of Victoria
WITNESSES	John Auld, Jane S. Yule
MINISTER	Alexander Yule

This article first appeared in the Hawkesbury Crier, June 2006 edition, pp. 25-26.