Marriage licences / marriage allegations

[ElizabethHerts]

I've been compiling a (long) list of people in my tree who married by licence.

Today I have contacted 3 record offices/archives and I have now ordered 7 marriage allegations.

Cheshire have charged me just £3.97 for two pages for the paperwork of the marriage of John Stillings to Elizabeth Sladen at St Chad Rochdale. There was no search fee and it took them just three hours to come back to me.
All ordered and paid for!

I think I shall have to follow up all the others. It might take a while, though!

[Nell]

I'd love to know what information you get in a marriage allegation, do let us know.

[ElizabethHerts]

Nell, here is a transcription of one of my Sussex marriage allegations:

Archdeaconry and Diocess of Chichester

On the ffirst Day of August 1764
Appeared personally Thomas Andrews who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists to depose the Truth upon his Oath deposeth and saith that he is of the Parish of Cocking in the County of Sussex which has been the usual Place of his Abode for several years last past Aged Twenty ffive Years and a Batchelor And intendeth to intermarry with Elizabeth Ayling of the same Parish Maiden which has been the usual Place of her Abode for several Years last past Aged four and Twenty Years and that he doth not know or believe there is any lawful let or Impediment by reason of any Precontract Consanguinity Affinity or any other lawfull Cause whatsoever to hinder the said intended Marriage and prayed Licence to solemnize the said Marriage in the space?? of the Parish Church of Cocking aforesaid.


(signed)
Thos. Andrew


Sworn before me Rt Sandham Sur.


Let Licence pass





 
Know all Men by these Presents that Thomas Andrew in the Parish of Cocking in the County of Sussex ffarmer and William Ayling of Heyshott in the County aforesaid ffarmer
are held and firmly bound to the Right Reverend Ffather in God William by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Chichester
in Two Hundred Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid to the said Reverend Father or his certain Attorney Executors Administrators or Assigns for the true Payment whereof We bind ourselves and each of us by himself for the whole and every part thereof and that the Heirs Executors and Administrators of us and each of us firmly by these Presents Seales with our Seals
dated the ffirst day of August in the ffourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain Ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the Ffaith and in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty ffour.

The Condition of this Obligation is such That if hereafter there shall not appear any lawful Let or Impediment by reason of any Pre-Contract entered into before the twenty fifty day of March One Thousand Seven Hundred and fifty four Consanguinity Affinity or any other lawful Means whatsoever but that the above bound
Thomas Andrew Batchelor and Elizabeth Ayling of Cocking aforesaid Maiden

may lawfully solemnize Marriage together and in the same afterwards lawfully remain and continue for Man and Wife according to the Laws in that behalf provided And moreover if there be not at this present Time any Action Suit Plaint Quarrel or Demand moved or depending before any Judge Ecclesiastical or Temporal for or concerning any such lawful Impediment between the said Parties nor that Either of them be of any other Parish or of better Estate or Degree than to the Judge at the granting of the License is suggested and by the sd Thos Andrew sworn to pursuant to the statue in that case made and provided.

And lastly if the same Marriage shall be openly solemnized in the Church or Chapel in the Licence specified between the hours appointed in the Constitutions Ecclesiastical confirmed and according to the fform of the Book of Common Prayer now by Law established And if the above bounden Thomas Andrew
do save harmless the said Revered Ffather his surrogates and other his Officers whatsoever by Reason of thee Premises Then this Obligation to be void or else to remain in full force and Virtue.

Sealed and delivered
in the presence of
(signed)
Thos. Andrew

Wm Fowler
(signed)
William Ayling

[ElizabethHerts]

Nell, this is just one part of a marriage allegation for OH's direct ancestor (4xgt grandfather William Evans Lamb to his first wife Margaret Mundy).

It gives information which is really valuable to us:

"This is to Certify that I Wm Lamb in the town of Huntingdon in the County of Huntingdon Father to Wm Evans Lamb of Lowleyton in the County of Essex Doth freely give Consent for him to be married to Miss Margaret Mundy Daughter of Mr Philip Mundy and Mrs Mary Mundy of LowLayton in Essex as Winess My Hand William Lamb
the 17 Day of September 1770
Signed in the presence of us - Mary Combes"

It gives the parents of the bride and place names too.

It later gives William's age - he was only 20 which is why he needed his father's consent. I have 3 pages for this, and I obtained it from the London Guildhall library.

[Nell]

Thanks, Elizabeth

[JayG]

Elizabeth did you contact Cheshire via email? I've got one i'd like to order.

[ElizabethHerts]

JayG, I phoned them and ordered it over the phone. It arrived on Friday and consists of two pages. Unfortunately it did not tell me anything I didn't already know, but it was still worthwhile. My Sussex documents were more specific with age - they gave the exact age whereas this Cheshire Marriage Allegation just states "aged twenty one yars and upwards".