Marriage Licences - 1650s

[t@nya]

I'm trying to find a marriage in the late 1640s to 1650s Worcestershire, right in Commonwealth gap , that of John Allen of Droitwich and his wife Mercy: their first recorded child (that I can find) was baptised 1659.

I've already struck out in Droitwich, Dodderhill, and Salwarpe, and on the IGI. I'm going to be checking Church Lench and Evesham next (John Allen's first cousin, Ann, and the sister-in-law and aunt by marriage of two of the candidates to be John Allen's wife) married into a family with strong links to both those places. Note, I'm well aware the marriage might not have survived at all.

I was wondering, though, since both families were fairly prominent, whether they married by licence and if that record might survive. My question is, where would I look for it?

[Coromandel]

I am not sure if it was possible to marry by licence at all at that time: the church courts (which earlier and later were responsible for issuing licences) had ceased to operate, I think. However, I will dig out a book I've got about marriage licences and see what it has to say. Back later on that. Meanwhile . . .

R.B . Outhwaite's 'Clandestine Marriage in England, 1500-1850' (on Google Books) has this bit about 'An Act touching Marriages and the Registring thereof; and also touching Births and Burials', of August 1653:

Couples intending marriage were enjoined to deliver to the appointed Register [Registrar] of their respective parishes of abode, at least twenty-one days before their wedding, the 'names, surnames, additions, and places of aboad of the parties so to be married, and of their Parents, Guardians or Overseers.' This information the Register was to publish on the next three successive Sundays, either in church or chapel or, if the couples preferred, in the market place on three market days. When this was done, a certificate was to be issued by the Register to enable the marriage to proceed. The couple were then to come before a Justice of the Peace 'of the same County, City or Town Corporate', along with their certificate, make proof of parental consent if minors and, after examination of eligibility, the JP was to marry them via a simple exchange of vows. . . Not only was this a legal marriage, but no other form of ceremony was valid...'

Outhwaite says that this Act 'may have effectively lapsed' by the end of October 1657. He goes on to say that

'Confusion did not begin to subside until after the passage in 1660 of the 'Act for Confirmation of Marriages', which confirmed that marriages made since 1 May 1642 under the intervening ordinances were to be regarded as if they had been solemnised according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. [ref. 54] Because of the many changes made in the 1640s and 1650s, large numbers of people had departed from the strict dictates of the law, marrying themselves in all sorts of irregular ways.'

It doesn't sound good news for genealogists.

[t@nya]

It doesn't sound good news for genealogists.

Not good at all.

Thanks Coromandel.

[Yegvard]

Hi,

I've just checked the close-by Parish of Feckenham transcripts. No joy. Marriages there run from 1538 onwards. The last dated marriage was 1653, then a few without dates and re-commencing in 1659. There is an outside chance that the BMSGH marriage index may help.

You don't say, but I presume you have looked for wills of both John and Mercy's parents. The other way you may try to crack this one would be land records. Just in case Mercy was given land in her own right.

Mike

[t@nya]

Thanks for that

Believe me, I've been trying every avenue of research I can.

John Allen's father, Roger, left a will, but it didn't mention Mercy

Mercy Smith's (one of the candidate's) father only left an administration. Her mother didn't leave a will

Mercy Dingley (another of the candidate's) father also only left an administration. Her mother did leave a will: I've emailed Worcestershire Archives about buying a copy of it. The death of the mother occurred after the death of my Mercy, but I'm hoping grandchildren will be mentioned.

There was land given by Thomas and Margaret, Mercy's father and mother, but that went to Thomas Allen, the father-in-law of their son Thomas; their son Thomas married Ann Allen, John Allen's first cousin. The land was passed down to Elizabeth Allen, Thomas Allen's daughter, in his will.

Oddly enough, Ann Smith nee Allen seemed to have married secondly Clement Dingley, making her not only the sister-in-law of Mercy Smith but the aunt of Mercy Dingley!