Religious vs civil : which date to use for marriage date?

Question

I'm sure this question has been answered already, but I stumbled on a peculiar case.

The (second) marriage of William Knocker with Victorine Pouillery was celebrated in Brighton, Sussex, England in 1865. They had already a child, William Eloi, born two years earlier in 1863 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (France). The birth record of William Eloi clearly indicates that he is the legitimate child of William Knocker and Victorine Pouillery, his spouse.

I have not yet found the civil marriage of William and Victorine, probably in France, possibly in Paris in 1859 according to secondary sources.

Based on the religious marriage for which we have a source, I have put the marriage date of that one on the profile. But should I put "before 1863" based on the birth of their (legitimate) child?

Comments

Thanks Ellen ... totally forgot tags

Answer 1

I would use the dates that you have a source for.  Then Research Notes could indicate that you suspect there is a civil marriage in France based on the birth indication on the child.

Comments

They were married from the time of the first ceremony, so ideally that date should be used, provided as Linda points out there is a source.

Answer 2

You do have a source for that first marriage, it's the birth record of their child listing him as legitimate.  It's just not a *direct* source for it, which is a different thing.  I think the date in the marriage thingie should be of the earlier french one even though it's approximate.  The religious/english ceremony should be mentioned in the text of the biography with a note, as you have above, that it was just a second ceremony, the details of the first being not yet discovered.

Comments

Thanks Celia. After a good night and morning coffee, I think I'll follow you.