GRETNA GREEN MARRIAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20241, 29 April 1929, Page 7

GRETNA GREEN MARRIAGES

During tho past year, tho number of marriages contracted at tho histoi ic smithy at Gretna Green has created a record, says a correspondent of the Aberdeen Press and Journal. The procedure in carrying through a present-day irregular marriage may be of interest. The contracting parties rnako tho recessary acknowledgment in tho prescnco of two witnesses,, and sign a declaration, which is also signed by tho witnesses. Within ihreo months (usually at once) the couplo and tho two witnesses appear before tho sheriff and present tho declaration, together with a petition craving the court to certify that the parties have been married, that ono of the parties has resided in Scotland for 21 days, and to grant warrant to register the Carriage. Tho witnesses take tho oath, aricl state that they wero present when tho parties' acknowledged each other husband and wife. The sheriff then grants, tho necessary warrant, which is transmitted to tha registrar. And so the irregular mairiag# is sanctioned.