When Westminster City Council conducted the first conversion of civil partnership to same sex marriage for a well-known celebrity couple last Wednesday, December 10, at 12.01am - one minute after the law came into effect - it was Westminster Superintendent Registrar, Alison Cathcart, from Fermanagh, who presided over the conversion at Westminster City Hall.

Fashion entrepreneur and British celebrity Mary Portas surprised her civil partner, fashion journalist, Melanie Rickey in the early hours to become the first couple in the UK to convert their civil partnership to a same sex marriage.

“This morning was another landmark for the Westminster Register Office,” said Alison Cathcart, originally from Florencecourt.

Speaking following the conversion, she commented: “We conducted the most civil partnerships in the country in 2005, the first same sex marriage in March this year, and earlier this morning, the first conversion of civil partnership to same sex marriage.

“I see this as the final step in equality for gay marriage and we are very proud to play our part in it.” The conversion came as a complete surprise to Melanie Rickey, who said she couldn’t think of a better surprise. “It is so special we were able to be the first couple in the country,” she said.

Mary says: “It was wonderful when we had our civil partnership but I wanted to take that final step and get married and what better way to do it than be the first.” She went on to say: “Tonight was absolutely magical and meant so much to us that we could have Alison and Mark, who conducted our civil partnership, to preside over our marriage.” Mary and Melanie, who had a civil partnership back in 2010, which Alison carried out, were the first of 26 couples who converted on Wednesday, December 10 in Westminster. The Superintendent Registrar from Fermanagh, who has married many famous names over the years, also registered the birth of Prince George, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.