General Chat

Using a name as a reference check can sometimes work against you. One of mine was variously Henry George, Henry, George and George Henry ... If I'd used his name as a reference check it would not have helped me at all!

Jill

If anyone has the Rimmer family of Southport in their tree they will understand all about reference checking. Even then you can't be 100% sure you have the correct one.

However, in very many cases, there is no need to reference check for marriages.

depends if you are not 100%sure..my wifes Martins are difficult to sort so a bit more sometimes does help if only to weedout the wrongun's
(at a cost though.)
bob

For a marriage, on the first page you enter

Either the man's surname and forename or woman's surname and forename.

You can't enter the man's father's name on the first page, but it can, optionally be entered later as a reference check.

they also do NOT supply a cert, if a middle name doesnt match either, so sometimes less info is better....
I recently offered John as a middle name when it Should have been JAMES, result
£4 refund and no cert
Bob

Thanks folks.

they refund £4 ie they take £3 for the search fee

They refund £4 and keep £3 to cover the cost of the search. They only do this if you use the Reference Checking Page and not if you just name the father on the first page of the form where you put the details of the couple getting married.

Kath. x

If you apply to the GRO for a copy marriage certificate with the reference numbers, but the man's father does not match with what you give them, will they refund the payment?