Parish in marriage records

[Lindsay]

Hi - first post so be kind!

I've been looking at eighteenth century parish marriage records for a London church and have been struck by how many people give their parish as the one they obviously came from originally - and being London that's all over the country! I thought it was supposed to be the parish you were living in - or was that a later development?

Also, in about 80% of marriages neither the bride or groom lived in the parish where the marriage took place - if you both came from Southwark, for example, why wander over to a neighbouring parish to get married? Apart from confusing your descendants, of course!

Can anybody shed any light?

[KiteRunner]

Welcome, Lindsay - which church was it, please?

[Lindsay]

It was St Dionis Backchurch - but last time I went to the LMA I also flicked through some transcripts another church (sorry, can't remember which one!) and the picture seemed to be the same.

[Phoenix]

It ought to be the case in that period that for a marriage by banns to take place, at least one partner should be living in the parish to hear the banns called.

In Lambeth at that period, if either party was from another parish, the marriage seems automatically have been by licence. This ought not to have been necessary, but I assume it was to ensure in a populous parish that they were both telling the truth.

[Lindsay]

Just to give an example - in June and July 1703 there were 4 marriages (the vicar wasn't exactly rushed off his feet!):
1 - groom North Munden, Sussex, and the bride Micham in Surrey
2- both St Michael Queenhithe
3 - groom Christchurch, bride Clapham
4 - groom St Botolph Bishopsgate and bride St Stephen's London.

It doesn't say whether they were by licence, though I suppose they must have been.

[Phoenix]

Pre 1754, a marriage where neither party came from the parish was clandestine, but not illegal. Hardwick's Act was specifically designed to prevent such marriages. Aome churches were known for having obliging vicars, though how the event was recorded depended on the individual vicar. Most marriages of the period you are talking about do not show the parish of bride or groom.

[Christine in Herts]

London was a nice big place where your personal history wasn't known.

You could claim to be single when you weren't; you could claim to be "of age" while still under 21; you could marry that person your parents were trying to keep you away from (or whose parents were trying to keep you away!).

Christine

[Little Nell]

Welcome to FTF

we are always kind, no matter how many/few posts you make!