Why marry in London?

[RobinC]

Thomas Walford Challis married Emma Davey in the March quarter of 1847 at St James, Westminster but both Thomas & Emma were born in the Braintree district of Essex according to the censuses I have found after they were married.

The reason I'm asking is because their children are also born in the Braintree area as early as 1849 so I can't understand why they would have travelled to London, only to travel back again?

[Zen Rabbit]

could be many reasons, though you would need the certificate to be certain of the marriage. They may have worked in London, the local church may have been closed, also there was a tendency for some people who didn't want their business known to pay clergy men to marry them outside of their normal parish

[Peter Goodey]

Thomas Walford Challis married Emma Davey in the March quarter of 1847 at St James, Westminster

That's a registration district. Where exactly did they marry and, if in church, was it by licence or banns?

[RobinC]

That's a registration district. Where exactly did they marry and, if in church, was it by licence or banns?

I don't know as I can only find the marriage on freebmd and it states St James, Westminster as the place.

[Peter Goodey]

I don't know as I can only find the marriage on freebmd and it states St James, Westminster as the place.

The marriage certificate will give you the answer. Without a certificate, you can't even be sure that it isn't an indexing error.

[sueannbowen]

it states St James, Westminster as the place.

I have had a peek at An*** London England Marriages and Banns 1754 - 1921 but unfortunately cannot find your marriage. There are a few Challis marriages though. Perhaps they married there because of family connections. You'll need to send for the 'stificate as Peter says.

[Peter Goodey]

I think basically LMA have only got BTs for Westminster and of course there are no BTs for post 1837 marriages. Westminster registers are at Westminster City Archives so FMP is the place to look online but they haven't got far enough yet.

It states St James, Westminster as the place

I'll be accused of being pedantic but it really is important to understand that a GRO index entry shows the registration district as distinct from the place of marriage.