Civil marriages replaced church ceremonies in England during the Commonwealth period in the 1650s, when they took place in front of a Justice of the Peace. They were re-introduced in England and Wales in 1837, and later in Ireland and Scotland, giving couples the option to marry at a register office. Similar arrangements exist in other countries.
Civil partnerships between same-sex couples were introduced in the United Kingdom in 2004 and in other countries at different dates. We are not aware of any such partnerships for anyone falling within the scope of this study.
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