Marriage record 1655 Halifax

[kath davis]

Although the missing words would be useful I don't think they are essential - but have a go if you wish.  I am more interested in the fact that the Banns were published in the Market Place on 3 market days.  Has anyone else come across this, I must have recorded hundreds of marriages and never seen it before.  The marriage tool place at St John the Baptist, Halifax, Yorkshire.
Now back to the drawing board as this James age 60 was not the one I was looking for!

[MollyC]

Is this anything to do with the Commonwealth period?  Were there different rules about banns?  There are gaps in some parish records at that time.

[AlanBoyd]

MollyC is correct.

This is taken from

http://joinermarriageindex.co.uk/history-of-parish-registers/?utm_source=perplexity

which may give a 'Not Secure' warning,so if you are squeamish about such things here is the relevant passage.

1649-1653: Following the execution of Charles I an English republic was established and represents a period in English history known as the Commonwealth (1649-1653). The Commonwealth proper ended in 1653 with the establishment of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate. The Commonwealth is a most difficult time period for those of us engaged in family history research because there are large gaps in the records - especially in parish registers. Ironically, it was Oliver Cromwell's intention in an act of 1653 to remedy poor record keeping in parish registers by placing the responsibility for the records in the hands of appointed officers called "Parish Registers". The records kept by Parish Registers became known as Civil Registers but many do not survive. After Charles I was restored to the throne in 1660, Registers were dismissed (some appear to have become parish clerks). Restored clergy in some areas confiscated the Civil Registers and destroyed them. Other clergy simply went around the parish writing down vital events by asking people to remember what had happened in the previous years. Because of the loss of the Civil Registers, this time period is sometimes referred to as the "Commonwealth gap" by family history researchers.

During this same period marriages were no longer to take place in a church. An intention to marry could be stated at a Market cross or the couple could go to a Justice of the Peace to be legally joined. Many couples did not like the new system and secretly went to the church to be married - if the clergy had managed to stay in office! The importance of this little diversion in the rules governing marriages is that following the restoration, marriages before Justices of the Peace were just legalised in retrospect. Some clergy simply refused to accept such blasphemy and forced a second marriage in the church or simply branded the children illegitimate. This bit of history helps to explain the entries and remarks in some parish registers such as, "Franklin alias Cox" or "Smith alias Jones".

[kath davis]

Thank you both - I should have spotted that myself.  I must be grateful that there is an entry to be found.  It does look as if this is one written after the event - quite a long-winded entry.

Kath

[Zefiro]

I had a go at this, although I lack experience with English handwriting. I couldn't read it all, and mistakes could have been made.

Mr James Oates of Northowrom gentleman & Pheby
Dickonson of ye same spinster was published att ye markett place in
Hallifax upon 3 markett dayes in 3 severall weekes
to witte March ye 24, ye 31 & Aprill ye 7.
The marriage betweene ye said James Oates ageed 60 years
& ye said Phebie Dickonson ageed 26 years was solempnized
ye 10 day of Aprille 1655 ... William Ffarrer ... of ye ...
of ye ... for ye Westrids in ye County of Yorke in ye presence of
Edward Ffarrer & William Oates & two credible wittnesses
according to ye forme of ye statute in ye case made & provided

[MollyC]

"... William Farrer One of the justices
of the peace for the Westrid[in]g in the County of yorke..."

The 'y' symbol is the letter 'thorn' and transcribes as th.  (A relic from Anglo-Saxon.)
ff is the symbol for F, not Ff.

[Zefiro]

"... William Farrer One of the justices
of the peace for the Westrid[in]g in the County of yorke..."

The 'y' symbol is letter 'thorn' and transcribes as th.  (A relic from Anglo-Saxon.)
ff is the symbol for F, not Ff.

Thanks for your advice. I've learned something new.

[MollyC]

My knowledge is somewhat rusty - a short course 40 years ago.  However I have previously come across the phrase  "one of the justices of the peace for... " - and I am a native of the West Riding!

[kath davis]

Many more thanks to the translaters.  The bits I missed were interesting - the Justice of the Peace - I wonder if Edward was a relative he used as witness where necessary? and William Oates could be a relative of James, although I don't have a suitable William - yet!
In case you are wondering James and Phoebe had 2 children before James died 2 years later, being buried a month after her baptism.