Genealogy Chat

Does anyone know what married by Registered licence means on a marriage cert. It is a church marriage, and it is written in the bit where it usually says by banns. It's an 1872 marriage. Thanks in anticipation. Cheers Margaret.

I don't know as it just says registered!! I did wonder if that was what it may mean, but totally unsure, it being a church wedding. Margaret.

All you need to know here: http://home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/marriages.htm#COL9 but the bit you are after is '(2) 'by licence' which would be found in the same set of registers and would indicate that the couple may have married with less than three weeks between giving the notice and getting married (minimum of 1 clear working day). However - a licence lasts three months so the marriage wasn't necessarily done in a rush. It may have been easier to give only the one licence notice rather than the two that would have been needed for a marriage by certificate if the bride and groom lived in different districts.'

Thanks Helen, That explains it a bit. They were in different districts, and she was heavily pregnant at the time. I know when I married it wasn't by banns, we did pay for a licence, but it wasn't the special. Must dig out my cert and see what it says, too busy with ancestors to check mine!! Cheers Margaret.

A special licence is not the same as a licence. Info on the claranet address. nell

Will check out the claranet, Nell. Thanks everyone for the input, going to find my marriage cert now as well. Cheers Margaret.

I've just checked my marriage certificate and I got married by licence in 1988!!! This was because my husband to be and myself lived in different parishes and we got married in a church which was outside both of our parishes. We had to go to St Margarets at Westminster Abbey and apply for the Licence before we could get married. We were presented with a beautiful handwritten document which is the Licence. I hadn't realised until I just check my marriage certificate that it says 'by licence on it'. We learn something new every day.

Hi Sometimes also a marriage licence could / would be purchased if the person who wanted to be married was in the forces .. for instance.. .. underage .. but with parental consent.. I have an instance of both.. the one I have for the couple married while in the forces is very informative.. right down to who his Sergeant was.. and the other a very detailed licence for a minor being married.. she was only 16 in the 1940's when she married.. and all the info is on there for her parents their addresses and who also signed as witnesses saying these people who were who they said they were.. If you can get hold of a licence.. from a marriage they are great.. Well worth getting hold of a copy if they still survive.. Mo

not a lot of help but I got married by special licence in 1992 booked on Thursday married on Tuesday (register office) if I remember right you can no longer marry by special licence unless very exceptional circumstances e.g one of couple terminally ill Linda

Hi Everyone, Checked out the claranet, Nell, very informative even though it did not mention registered as such. Checked my marriage cert, 41 years old it is, and we were married by licence, not special, but not the 7/6d. one which was the common one. I think that was the price of a dog licence way back then, lots of jokes in there. Our licence must have cost somewhere in the region of £10, we had a shotgun wedding as it was called in those days. Letters from our parents had to be presented to the registrar giving consent as we were under age. Checked all the marriage certs for my ancestors and there is a mixture, by banns, licence and one by certificate. Thanks everyone for all the input. Cheers Margaret.