Where would I find, which County?

[JayG]

I've got a couple that married by licence in 1792 at Malpas, Cheshire. The groom was from Manchester & the bride from Malpas.

Where should I be looking for a copy of the licence, Lancashire or Cheshire?

Thanks

Jay

[stanmapstone]

A visit to the clergyman issuing the licence resulted in three documents, an allegation or affidavit, a marriage bond and the licence. The actual licence was issued to the bridegroom who presented it to the priest conducting the marriage. The licence could then have been kept by the priest, or returned to the diocesan registries, or given to the couple on their wedding day and kept within the family, but usually does not survive. The allegation and bond would be filed in the Diocesan Registry. After 1823 bonds ceased to be necessary.


Stan

[JayG]

Thanks Stan.

I do have several allegation/bonds mainly for my Durham lot which have been easy enough to find at the bride & groom have always lived in the same County.

I'll see if I can trace it in Lancashire.

Jay

[stanmapstone]

In 1792 Manchester was in the Diocese of Chester. The Diocese of Manchester was not formed until 1847.

Stan

[JayG]

Ah Cheshire it is then!

Thanks again Stan.

After all my years of research it's all be on the east side of the country, Durham, Lincs & Norfolk.  Cheshire is a new county of research so i'm a little lacking in the knowledge department at the mo!

Jay

[josephinemary]

Stan,
Fascinating info on marriage by licence. Can you spell it out for me in plain language as I would love to understand what it means and why anyone would need to marry by licence anyway? Have often wanted to ask the question but afraid of appearing dim.
Thanks,
Josie.

[stanmapstone]

Cheshire Record office have Abstracts and indexes published 1606-1700 in Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society volumes 53, 56, 57, 61, 69, 73, 77 Marriage bonds and allegations 1661-1979:
http://archive.cheshire.gov.uk/dserve/DServe.exe?dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Index.tcl

Stan

[JayG]

Josie marrying by licence was usually quick & more private than having banns called.

From the copies I have the licence is dated a few days before they couple married, some the same day.

I have a far few people in my tree married by licence, including my parents in 1975!

Jay

[JayG]

Cheshire Record office have Abstracts and indexes published 1606-1700 in Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society volumes 53, 56, 57, 61, 69, 73, 77 Marriage bonds and allegations 1661-1979:
http://archive.cheshire.gov.uk/dserve/DServe.exe?dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Index.tcl

Stan

Thanks Stan, I was just off to have a look on Cheshire Archives & see what I could find.

Jay