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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Gloucestershire => Topic started by: SueJB on Wednesday 18 July 12 12:11 BST (UK)
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hi,
We have three marriages in Miserden by licence,two in 1767 and one in 1798.
We understand that there is something called Marriage Allegations.Can someone tell us what extra information does this give.
Thanks
Sue *COMPLETED*
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Sorry for not responding sooner on this one. I would definitely recommend looking at the original marriage allegations if you get an opportunity. They can sometimes give vital clues which are not available from the entry in marriage register. Where the couple intended to marry by licence (and thereby avoid the delay and publicity of banns), or where there was a requirement to obtain a licence (if they wished to marry away from their normal place of residence), the procedure was to obtain a licence from the diocese. This required either the bride or (more often) the groom to swear an "allegation" (affidavit). The allegation will include:
- names of bride and groom
- occupation
- marital status e.g. spinster, widow etc.
- place of residence
- often a precise age
- parents' names if the person to be married was under 21
- where the marriage was to take place
I have found that the information given can often help distinguish which of several possible individuals a marriage relates to (e.g. the occupation might help you determine it was "John Smith the miller" rather than "John Smith the carpenter" who married. The exact age given is also obviously helpful in identifying individuals precisely, as is the place of residence. All of those details will often be missing from the marriage register.
The allegation could be sworn either at the Diocesan Registry in Gloucester, in which case you need GA series GDR Q3, or before a "surrogate" (i.e. someone working under delegated authority locally, such as the archdeacon), in which case you need GA series GDR Q2. See:
http://goo.gl/helz7
http://goo.gl/9ncFx
http://goo.gl/DdcBR
http://goo.gl/nuMOy
http://goo.gl/Vhg3E
http://goo.gl/d8lLs
I believe there are indexes for some of these records, but I'm not sure they cover the years you're interested in. I suggest you ask at Gloucestershire Archives.
Bear in mind the possibility the licence might have been obtained from the Archbishop's Vicar-General (required if bride and groom resided in different dioceses within the same province) or the Archbishop of Canterbury's Faculty Office (if from different provinces). These are available at SoG or on FindMyPast http://www.findmypast.co.uk/content/sog/faculty-vicar-general and there's is a free PDF of the latter online here http://ia600304.us.archive.org/27/items/allegationsforma00cant/allegationsforma00cant.pdf
Also check the marriage bonds (see http://genealogy.about.com/library/glossary/bldef-marriagebond.htm). These are at GA in GDR/Q1 http://goo.gl/mbe7E
Here's an example I found useful recently. I would not have been sure the person marrying was the George Lock of Colesbourne I was interested in without this.
Gloucestershire Archives GDR Q3/55 P25
3 Feb 1755
On which Day appeared Personally George Lock of the Parish
of Colesbourn in the County and Diocese of Glocester, Miller
and, being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, Alledged and made Oath, That he is of the
Age of Twenty Three Years and upwards, and a Batchelor and
That he intends to Marry with Sarah Window of the Parish
Of Shipton Sollers in the County and Diocese of Glocester, Spinster
Aged Twenty Two Years and upwards; and that he knoweth of no lawful Lett,
Or Impediment, by reason of any Pre-contract entered into before the 25th Day of March
1754, Consangunity, Affinity, or any other Cause whatsoever, to hinder the said in-
tended Marriage; and that he prayed a Licence to solemnize the said Marriage in the
Parish Church of Shipton Sollers aforesaid; in which said Parish
of Shipton Sollers the said George Lock further made
Oath that the said Sarah Window hath had her usual Abode for the
Space of Four Weeks last past.
Georg Lock (signs)
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The allegation will include
I think "The allegation may include" would be more accurate. Also, I would say that in the case where it is sworn before a surrogate, the entry is usually one line, just giving names and places, nothing more (that's been my experience, anyway). The index at Glos Archives is a card index, with two cards per licence (one each for bride and groom).
Jane
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Ah yes, thanks for reminding me. I've been scratching my head trying to remember where the index was! There's a card index to marriage licences in a cabinet in the room on the left as you go from the main search room towards the microfiche room.
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Hi Guys
Thanks for the comprehensive answers to this thread!
Just one little thing - or it will be little! Could you please use the "Shrink Link" button at the bottom of each page to make sure the very long links you're pasting are a bit neater and less likely to stretch the page?
I've tried to shorten them, but this leads to the whole post being too long for the maximum permitted length, so it will have to stay for now. In future, please keep links short and you can make several shorter posts rather than one enormous one!
Thank you!
Kind regards, Arranroots ;)
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OK, no problem, point taken.
I had a few problems with the RootsChat Shrink Link, so I used goo.gl instead. I'll try to remember to do that in future.
Pete
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Hi
Thanks very much for the brilliant information.I think any details from the marriage allegations could be very useful to us.
Unfortunately as I live in Sutton,Surrey I shall have to ask if anyone will be kind enough to look up the details for me,via a lookup post!
Thanks again.Sue.
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OK, no problem, point taken.
I had a few problems with the RootsChat Shrink Link, so I used goo.gl instead. I'll try to remember to do that in future.
Pete
Hi Pete
Either is equally acceptable. Thank you.
A ;)