Questions regarding church record

[calliek]

I downloaded this doc from Scotland's People website and I'm left with more questions than answers. I'm hoping that some of you brilliant folks may be able to offer some explanations of things that are puzzling to me. apologies for the size of the image but it's rather difficult to make out without seeing it full size

First question is likely the easiest- can some one tell me exactly what the monetary amounts mean in the right hand column? The entry I am concerned with reads a fee of 3 was paid, but 3 what? The numeric entry is in the middle column of the first three if that helps any.

Second question- is a proclamation the same as posting bans? Meaning the date of Feb 6 1831 isn't the date of actual marriage?

Lastly does anyone has any insight as to why there would be a note regarding the fee paid but no matching marriage record available? I'm pretty new to SP so wondering if I've missed something.

 

[dochines]

Well I am old enough to remember pounds ,shillings and pence and having to add columns of figures without calculators.

the figure 3 is in the middle column so the cost of the proclamation was 3 shiilings often written 3/-

12 pennies in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound

dochines

 

[barbarajoh]

The below is from Scotlandspeople Calliek, so you were right in your thinking

Barbara




Proclamation of Banns
The proclamation of banns was the notice of contract of marriage, read out in the Kirk before the marriage took place. Couples or their 'cautioners' (sponsors) were often required to pay a 'caution' or security to prove the seriousness of their intentions. Forthcoming marriages were supposed to be proclaimed on three successive Sundays, however, in practice, all three proclamations could be made on the same day on payment of a fee. If the bride and groom lived in different parishes, the impending marriage was proclaimed in both parishes, although not necessarily on the same days, therefore the dates in each register may be different. You may also find that one register may show the proclamation date and the other the date of the marriage itself

 

[barbarajoh]

in answer to the other question, it is often the case that all you get in the old parish records are banns. Sometimes it will say and were duly married but that is not so common. The banns do give you a hint as to where the bride and groom came from tho and the idea that they probably married. You can never be 100 percent sure they did but it is most likely.

It is the same with deaths in the old parish records, you are usually getting more a financial transaction for the burial or the mortcloth, the minister was not always that interested in recording the death.

Barbara

 

[DaveHam9]

One note re OPR deaths/burials. The date given in the SP index may be either the date of death or the date of the hire of the mortcloth or the date of burial and rarely will the full record show which event it is.

Dave

 

[jay]

Well I am old enough to remember pounds ,shillings and pence and having to add columns of figures without calculators.

the figure 3 is in the middle column so the cost of the proclamation was 3 shiilings often written 3/-

12 pennies in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound

dochines

And 240 pennies in a pound. How well I remember learning those lists in school.

 

[barbarajoh]

One note re OPR deaths/burials. The date given in the SP index may be either the date of death or the date of the hire of the mortcloth or the date of burial and rarely will the full record show which event it is.

Dave

But sometimes the minister liked to write and gave you lots of information. The Duns, Berwickshire deaths have little stories attached. You just don't know until you pays your money!

 

[DaveHam9]

Oh, how true.

Sometimes a marriage just says "proclaimed 3 times 3/-"

 

[calliek]

Thank you all! I suspected it was shillings but not having learned your monetary system I wasn't certain and I've never seen it written in columns like that.

Barbarajoh I did noticed that some entries are more chatty than others! In one of the baptism entries, the record I searched for notes father's name and occupation and mother's name- just the bare facts.
But the entry below reads " a daughter born this day named ...."
and another records notes " born in fornication"!

( aren't we all born in fornication?)

 

[calliek]

Another question- is there any way to ascertain where the records are from specifically? I looked at the film header and it gives a region (county Forfar, Parish Lift and Benvie) Would Lift and Benvie be one church for both locations?

 

[leefer]

Not forgetting the good old tanner(sixpence)...and the threepenny bit.

Also a half crown(2 shillings and sixpence)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12364921

Blow it the slideshow above is easier

Any other money was notes unlike today where we have £1 and £2 coins.....pre decimal anything over what is on the above link was notes...ie £1 note and a fiver/tenner pound notes and so on.

 

[leefer]

I hope you get some answers calliek.....apologies for the mumbo jumbo

 

[calliek]

Leefer that was very helpful and fascinating. I've always got loads of questions and I'm very grateful to have this forum as a resource!

 

[dochines]

You are forgetting the 10/- note, and there was a crown (5/-) silver coin issued on special occasions which were legal tender

Crowns were often brought by grandparents for their grandchildren as a keepsake memory if the special event like a coronation


dochines

 

[jay]

Not forgetting florins ( 2 shillings ); guineas ( £ + equal value in shillings ) and half - pennies.