Marriage bonds and allegations

[maureenann]

I have a copy of a marriage certificate for a marriage that took place in 1869, by at The Sutherland Chapel, Walworth, Surrey. I wanted to look at the actual Register entry as I want to compare the groom's signature with a possible first marriage. It has not be deposited and its whereabouts not known. As it was by Licence
I thought a copy of the allegation would suffice. I have been told that bonds and allegations only apply if a marriage took place in an Anglican church.

My query is, is there a difference in a Licence issued for a Nonconformist and an Anglican marriage.

[Coromandel]

As the marriage took place after the beginning of civil registration, the licence could be a civil one, issued by the Superintendent Registrar, rather than an ecclesiastical one.

In 1864, for example, 14.73% of the marriages in England and Wales were by licence. 20,373 of these were described as 'at Churches on Licence granted by Ecclesiastical authority'. 3899 were 'in Registered buildings on Superintendent Registrar's licence', with religious ceremony; 2307 were again by Superintendent Registrar's licence but this time without religious ceremony and at a Register Office.

(This is from the annual report of the Registrar-General of births, marriages and deaths, vols. 26-27, on Google Books.)

To see examples of the paperwork associated with the issuing of these licences, have a look at the last couple of pages of the 1856 'Act to amend the Provisions of the Marriage and Registration Acts':

https://www.
legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1856/119/pdfs/ukpga_18560119_en.pdf

The Marriage Notice Books referred to there are usually still at register offices though a few have made their way to county record offices (that's what Google says anyway; I have never tried to seek one out myself and have no idea how many of them have survived).

P.S. What I am not sure of is whether the marriage notice books contain original signatures or if the details have just been copied into them by the registrar, in which case they won't be of any use for your purpose. I hope someone else will be able to enlighten me!

[Peter Goodey]

I wanted to look at the actual Register...It has not be deposited and its whereabouts not known.

It hasn't been deposited because a Sutherland Chapel marriage register for that period does not exist. The registrar would have attended the marriage and would have brought the register with him and taken it away at the end of proceedings. It's whereabouts are known - it's in the possession of the Superintendent Registrar of the appropriate district.

You could try contacting the register office and asking what their policy is for producing certificates - would you get a photographic reproduction of the original register? Policy varies and may depend on the equipment available. Some London offices are not keen on issuing certificates for family historians at all!

[maureenann]

It hasn't been deposited because a Sutherland Chapel marriage register for that period does not exist. The registrar would have attended the marriage and would have brought the register with him and taken it away at the end of proceedings. It's whereabouts are known - it's in the possession of the Superintendent Registrar of the appropriate district.

You could try contacting the register office and asking what their policy is for producing certificates - would you get a photographic reproduction of the original register? Policy varies and may depend on the equipment available. Some London offices are not keen on issuing certificates for family historians at all!

Thank you Peter for your advice. I now have a photocopy of the actual Register entry showing the signature I required
Unfortunately, the signature is very different and has changed a lot over the 24 years or it is not my 2 x great grandparents marriage.