Retiring Belfast registrar recalls bride's struggles after hen party

A Belfast registrar is hanging up her pen after signing more than 36,000 birth and death certificates.

Jennifer Tosh has also officiated at more than 1,000 marriages in the past 36 years.

During that time, the 74-year-old has seen it all and has many tales to tell with her signature featuring on certificates in homes throughout the city.

She has registered more than 23,000 babies, including those named after pop singers, sports stars, and TV soap opera characters.

When Jennifer started the job in 1989, Kylie and Jason were the names of choice as a result of the Australian soap drama Neighbours.

Through the years, the names of characters from Star Wars movies and the Harry Potter books also had a burst of popularity.

One tale Jennifer will never forget is when a bride arrived at City Hall and struggled to get out of the wedding car due to a few too many drinks the night before.

Jennifer quickly realised that even if she got the bride to the ceremony, the wedding vows would be slurred not said.

"I think she had her hen party the night before and she just wasn't in a fit state to be married," said Jennifer.

"We asked her to come back later that day. By then she had been given plenty of coffee, and she was able to be married.

"If there's any way we can help people, we will try to do it."

On Friday, Jennifer's career had a full circle moment as she oversaw the wedding of two people whose births she had registered in the early 1990s, Ryan and Carla Adams.

As she prepares to leave Belfast City Hall, Jennifer told BBC News NI she has "mixed emotions".

"I'll miss the job. I've really enjoyed it. I've had some special moments. It's been a privilege."

Jennifer is the longest-serving member of a 12-strong team in Belfast who are authorised to sign registrations.

She is a deputy registrar in the team led by Vivienne Fullerton.

Over the past 36 years, it is estimated Jennifer has:

• officiated at 66 civil partnerships
• officiated at 1,364 marriages
• registered 4,640 marriages
• registered 13,620 deaths
• registered 23,400 births

These are major milestones in life, sometimes referred to colloquially as hatch, match and dispatch.

Some baby-names can raise eyebrows but not with Jennifer.

"I've seen very strange names, very unusual names, sometimes from books," she said.

"A lot of times you think 'my goodness, how is that poor child going to live through its life with that name?', but you just have to accept it and do your job."

Registering births has been a joy, she said.

"People have come in with a longed-for baby that maybe they've waited many years for. It's just wonderful, some of the stories we hear," she said.

A best man confided in her once before a wedding, saying he felt the soon-to-be-married couple would be better to just stay good friends.

Jennifer remembers: "They went ahead and got married on the Friday. On the Monday morning, the groom came into me to see if he could cancel the marriage.

"But it had already taken place, I had signed the registration so I said, 'No you'll have to see a solicitor'."

Dealing with the registration of deaths can be a very different emotional experience.

Jennifer remembers comforting a mother whose son had taken his own life.

"It was good to be able to help, just by listening to her. People trust us a lot and it's lovely," she said.

Her career started at City Hall in the late 1980s when there was no internet or laptops.

Much has changed in society since then, but one thing has stayed the same, her signature.

Jennifer said: "I've come across a lot of people, especially solicitors who will say to me 'oh I see your name all the time on certificates'."

Jennifer praised her colleagues at the City Hall saying they work together as a team.

After so long in the job, it will be difficult for her colleagues to properly mark her retirement after 36 years of public service.

A piece of crystal? A large bouquet of flowers? Perhaps, they will present her with a certificate.