Edward Fox | A Serial Witness and Red Herring?

It's not unusual - witnesses could have been anyone handy living nearby, I've seen the same in other Catholic and Church of Ireland parishes. Sometimes these can be traced as people living nearby, and possibly helped out in the church. btw the witness are not necessarily specifically for the husband and wife in any particular order - they could both be friends, neighbours, relations or work colleagues of either the bride or groom, or could be unrelated.

The 1851 Dublin City census extract shows an Edward Fox at Westland row - not far from St. Mark's Church of Ireland on Great Brunswick street, and also in St. Mark's parish.

Thank you, Shane!

Given that the first witness was related to his new wife, and that it seems that Edward Fox is neither friend nor relative, I could perhaps conclude that Francis had no siblings nearby and perhaps none at all ... or he would surely have chosen a sibling?
 

I'm also wondering whether I can rely on the marriage record of that time to have recorded whether his father, Charles, was deceased. What do you think?

Serial Witnesses do occur. I have a few examples. I can only speculate that it may be a 'patriarch' or 'matriarch' - a kind of self styled head or someone very helpful or someone particularly revered amongst the community? On a negative side it may well be someone who makes themselves more important than was wanted.

The original link may be way back too but the 'habit' of including relatives, however distant, was important and socailly difficult if you leave someone out - especially in isolated rural communities.

I never saw the status of anyone written in records but in one case the family name dominated local marriages and may have had more sway economically and therefore politically. My landlady at present is well known in her community and at 82 a regular guest at weddings despite not being related. She is always present at church and such a kind and generous soul that I would think she is invited as a talisman - but this is conjecture on my part :) However, it does convey a concept.

 

Dear All, Edward Fox is my ancestor. My mother’s maiden name is Massey and her grandfather Edward Godfrey Hugh Massey was born in Dublin but emigrated to Australia with his mother, Hannah Massey (née Fox). Hannah was also born in Dublin and her father was Edward Fox. Edward Fox was a school master and initially he was church warden at St. Luke’s church in The Coombe (which is where he initially lived). He subsequently moved to Westland Row and became involved with St. Mark’s church. So the assumption that Edward was a professional witness when required would appear to be correct. Regards, Russell Morgan, Perth, Western Australia.

Hi Russell, Thank you for this info. Despite not being related, It’s amazing to think that our common connecting event was a wedding in Dublin on 2nd July 1849!

Hi Russell, Thank you for this info. Despite not being related, It’s amazing to think that our common connecting event was a wedding in Dublin on 2nd July 1849!