Church wedding & registrar

[Peggy]

Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed at the extent of my ignorance. |blush|

I was just chatting with a man at the Great Britain reference section of the SLC library. He told me that a couple planning to marry in church (in the 1850's) had to go to the RO and get a license, and that the registrar would then show up at the church, hear them say "I do," and sign it.

Is that right? I've never seen any mention of it.

Thanks,

Peggy

[AnnB]

That's a new one on me :confused: I've been running after my ancestors for nigh on 30 years and haven't come across that scenario, but then perhaps I wasn't looking hard enough......!!

Best wishes
Ann

[Rod Neep]

Most Church of England churches had a licence to marry people, but not all of the churches did!

Therefore in such cases, a couple had to either be married (post 1837) in a register office or the registrar had to be present in the church at the time.

This was the case, for example, in Coleford, Gloucestershire, where the Parish Church was only granted a licence to marry people as late as the 1890s!

Regards
Rod

[Peggy]

Interesting. I'll have to see if I can find out when "family" churches were granted licenses.

Thank you very much, Rod!

Best,

Peggy