Marriage certificates

Awfully silly question but on copies of marriage certificates is it really the couples actual signatures because all the writing looks exactly the same to me!

Granted a lot of mine have X his or her mark but did they just all write in a similar fashion in those days and I'm not distinguishing?

This is gonna be really helpful ....



... but ...



I think it depends which version of the MC you're looking at. [see, told ya it was gonna be helpful!]



If you're looking at a facilimile of the register held by the church, then it's probably the happy couple's own signature (or cross).

But if you're looking at an image taken from the copy register that was submitted each quarter (?), then it's the rector/vicar/curate's writing.

Does that make any kind of sense?



STG

Oooh I knew it. Not such a stupid question after all

What you've said makes perfect sense. I am looking at copies ordered from the GRO so the signatures are just copied out in the one hand. No wonder they all looked the same!

Rats for not seeing the real thing but another little mystery cleared up thank you.

It made me go and dig out my own MC, and the whole thing is written by the Registrar (no church stuff for me), including the bit where I signed, my OH signed and the two witnesses signed.

Thinking back (well, it was 36 years ago), I remember her (female Registrar) asking the witnesses exactly what their names were after they'd written them into the actual register, so that she could copy them onto the stifficate that she gave me.

STG

I had to go look at mine too and all 4 signatures were different so in our own writing.

Quite pleased that little query has been cleared up.