A look at the marriage register for James Athya and Jemima Durie

On this day 145 years ago, the marriage of James Athya and Jemima Durie took place in Glasgow, Scotland. Had that not happened, my life would be very different today. You see, they are my husband’s great grandparents so if they hadn’t married, he wouldn’t exist. I recently obtained a copy of their statutory marriage register and having never seen one, was curious what information it would include. This post is a deep dive into the information I found.

There are seven columns of personal information on the form which is marked as page 88. I assume that was the page in the register book the minister recorded the marriage.

James and Jemima's marriage record (click to enlarge)

Column 1. When, Where, and How Married.
James and Jemima were married on March 23, 1877, at 5 Abbotsford Place in the District of Gorbals in the County of Lanark, Glasgow, Scotland. The register shows the marriage took place “after banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland.” If I understand “banns of marriage” correctly, this would have been a public announcement that the couple intended to marry. Its purpose was to allow time for anyone to speak now or forever hold their peace. I have been unable to determine if 5 Abbotsford Place was a home, church, or perhaps a government building. A Google search shows that many people were married at that address. Google Maps shows that today it’s a residential neighborhood with lots of apartments. In column 6, you’ll see it was possibly the home of the minister. An 1886 Parish of Cambusnethan, Application for Parochial Relief shows that Jemima and James were married on Lancefield Street in the Gorbals District of Glasgow. This is different than what was recorded on the marriage register.

Column 2. Signatures of Parties. Rank or Profession, whether Single or Widowed, and Relationship (if any).
James Athya – Joiner (Journeyman) – Bachelor
Jemima Durie – Cotton power loom weaver – Spinster

The only new information for me in column 2 was Jemima’s occupation. 

Column 3. Age.
James 22, Jemima 20

Column 4. Usual Residence.
194 Main Street, Anderston, Glasgow

The same address was recorded for James and Jemima as their usual residence. 

Column 5. Name, Surname, and Rank or Profession of Father. Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother.
James Athya, Cotton Yarn (5) Drawer and Twister and Jane Athya, M.S. (maiden surname) Wylie. 

James Durie, Engine Fitter (journeyman) and Jane Durie, M.S. Braidwood.

According to Andy Alston’s Repository webpage, a cotton yarn drawer organized “the pattern of threads, taking threads from many bobbins of thread possibly forming a pattern. The individual threads are initially on bobbins which are placed on a large framework arranged to keep them apart.” A twister was someone who “joins the ends of a fresh beam of threads onto the warp already on the loom.” Both jobs could have been done sitting down. I always find it interesting to learn what the old occupations meant.

This column confirms the maiden surnames of James and Jemima’s mothers. 

Column 6. If a regular Marriage, Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses. If irregular, Date of Conviction, Decree of Declarator, and Sheriff’s Warrant.
(Signed) Andw. Leiper, minister of Gorbals Parish.

(Signed) George Durie witness. Jane MacKay witness.

As you can see in the image below, I was able to confirm that Andrew Leiper was a minister of Gorbals Parish. The register listed his “Place of Abode” as 5 Abbotsford place. This is where I wondered is it his home, a church, or a government building. 

Glasgow electoral register, 1874 (click to enlarge)

George Durie would have been Jemima’s oldest brother, born in 1853. I haven’t been able to figure out who Jane MacKay was.

7. When & Where Registered, and Signature of Registrar.
March 26th, 1877 at Glasgow. 
Dan F. McGhee, Assistant Registrar.

The next image confirms that Daniel F. McGhee was a registrar in 1896 so it makes sense that he was an assistant in 1877.

Glasgow electoral register, 1896 (click to enlarge)

Although this marriage register shows that James and Jemima were married in 1877, I found a death record for a two-week-old infant named James Athya that died on August 1, 1876. His parents were James Athya and Jemima (Durie) Athya. Baby James was born/died eight months before the March 1877 marriage. 

Infant James Athya death register, 1876 (click to enlarge)

Having watched the handfast ceremony of Brianna Fraser and Roger MacKenzie on the STARZ TV series Outlander in the past year, it made me wonder if James and Jemima were handfast and living together, thus the same place of abode in 1877. Wikipedia describes handfasting as “… a traditional practice that, depending on the term’s usage, may define an unofficiated wedding (in which a couple marries without an officiant, usually with the intent of later undergoing a second wedding with an officiant), a betrothal (an engagement in which a couple has formally promised to wed, and which can be broken only through divorce), or a temporary wedding (in which a couple makes an intentionally temporary marriage commitment). The phrase refers to the making fast of a pledge by the shaking or joining of hands.” Of course, we’ll never know, but it’s something to think about.

A second child, Jane Durie Athya, was born in April 1878, well after James and Jemima were married. 

References

• Banns of marriage; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banns_of_marriage.
• Cotton Industry Jobs, Andy Alston’s Repository; http://www.andrewalston.co.uk/cottonindustryjobs.html.
• Fifteenth Ward, Register of Parliamentary Voters, Burgh of Glasgow, Lankarshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1874.
• Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland census, 1861.
• Handfasting; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handfasting.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/7 538, National Records of Scotland, 1876.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/12 176, National Records of Scotland, 1877.
• Parish of Cambusnethan, Application for Parochial Relief, Jemima Durie Athya, 1886.
• Register of Electors, vol. 2, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1896.