Through the quirks of what documents survive the depredations of the passing of time, the capriciousness of whether or not families preserve their papers and which official files are retained and which not, we know little about the lives of the first British merchants who established themselves in Buenos Aires between the time of the invasiones ingleses in 1806-7 and the formal recognition by Great Britain of the Government of Buenos Aires in 1824.

Undoubtedly some merchants arrived with wife and family. Others fell in love and married either local girls or one of the few young women who arrived as members of a British household. To obtain the services of a clergyman the British residents in Buenos Aires who were not members of the Roman Catholic Church, had little choice but to convert.

However, there was a slender alternative possibility given by access to the captains of the warships of the British Navy that were stationed at the River Plate during this period. Evidence has recently been found of a number of marriages solemnized by Royal Navy captains, of which the details are given below.

In John Ludlam's memoirs, he writes: "1813–I married to a sister of Peter Kendall. The ceremony was performed by Capt. Peter Heywood, R.N.,...commanding the "Nereus" frigate, no Protestant clergyman being in the Country. I believe I was the first Englishman of the then limited community married in Buenos Aires".

A transcript of a typical marriage document is given below, with the location of the original document.

These are to certify unto all whom it may concern that the undersigned James Barton a native of Wigan in the County of Lancaster and Anna MacKinlay native of London in the county of Middlesex were married by me (at their own desire & the consent and approbation of their friends present) this Twenty eighth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen at Buenos Ayres in South America where the Roman Catholic religion alone is permitted, and where no Protestant clergyman could be procured.
Given under my hand in the city of Buenos Ayres this 28th Day of December 1815.

More recently, through the kindness of several friends, it has been possible to add further marriages that were celebrated during these years. There will undoubtedly be more to emerge.

There were undoubtedly more such marriages, but, so far, there are no details for them. However, with the opening of the British Consulate in Buenos Aires in 1824, a formal way of recording such marriages was commenced. This has survived in the opening pages of the first St. John's Church Marriage Register.

By now a more diplomatic form of words for the marriage entry had been adopted, as seen in the transcription of the second marriage in the register.

Be it remembered that Thomas Widdows Reeve widower of the parish of Shipston in Worcestershire & Ann Marley of St Mary's Parish Bury St. Edmonds Suffolk were on this fourteenth day of June 1824 married by me according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England in the presence of Woodbine Parish Esqr. H. B. Majesty's Consul General and divers other witnesses.

Woodbine Parish, on being appointed His Britannic Majesty's Agent in Buenos Aires, found that the British residents there were anxious about the possible irregularity of the marriages conducted before his arrival. Six months later, he wrote to the British Foreign Secretary in London, raising this question.

Sir,

In my despatch No. 20 I adverted to the serious inconvenience felt here from the absence of any clergyman of the Church of England. Of this inconvenience none perhaps are of greater consequence than the difficulty which has been expressed by Protestants in a Catholic country with respect to the proper solemnisation of the marriage ceremony. The practice which had obtained here previously to my arrival amongst the British Protestants was to have this ceremony performed by the Captain of any of H.M. Ships accidentally here or by one of the principal British merchants before sundry witnesses. Mr Staples also in some instances married parties in the absence of a clergyman.

Many individuals so married are now possessed of considerable property and have numerous families, but doubts having since arisen as to the admission of such marriages in Great Britain. I have the honor to request for the sake of the parties concerned that I may be informed how far such marriages would be held to be valid in England or in Scotland and how far the children of such marriages would be entitled to inherit real property. Should the result appear to be contrary to the Interests of the Parties concerned here I am requested earnestly to seek information as to the steps which they should forthwith take to legalise their respective marriages and offspring. (signed) W. Parish

George Canning replied reassuringly to Woodbine Parish as follows.

Sir,

In reference to your Dispatch No. 45, wherein you state that doubts have arisen as to the validity of certain marriages contracted at Buenos Ayres without the intervention of a clergyman; and request to be informed how far such marriages would be held to be valid in England or in Scotland, I am now enabled to state to you that the case having been submitted to His Majesty's Advocate General, that Gentleman has reported, that there has been no instance within his knowledge of the validity of a marriage solemnized in the manner described by you being disputed. Such marriages will not be invalid, merely from defect of form, if they shall appear to have been contracted in the manner usual in such cases, and recognized by the Laws or Customs of the Country. It would be difficult to suggest any Provisions for the marriage of persons in foreign countries more favourable than the principle above stated. Declaratory dots for particular cases are not necessary for the security of the Parties and would not be advisable, as they might be liable to a construction prejudicial to cases not included. On these grounds I have to direct you not to encourage doubts upon this subject.
I am & &, (signed) George Canning

It is clear that there were a number of weddings in Buenos Aires that took place prior to 1824 between British subjects, details of which are not yet found. A careful search of the National Archives, Kew, has so far yielded no further data.