I am trying to find information on two men who (working theory, anyway) came to London from France between 1730 and 1763. By 1756 one of them married in London, and in 1763 both moved to Philadelphia. The marriage license (St. Martins in the Fields) is the only proof I have that they were in London ever. I believe they were Catholic, at least, they were active members of the Catholic church here, although the marriage license is a civil one.
I read this guide and found it mystifying:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/immigration/...and I searched the website
https://www.londonlives.org and got nothing.
They were highly skilled carvers and gilders, so I thought they needed to register somehow in order to practice their trade in the country. But I don't know where to look. There is absolutely zero information on this side of the pond (America) as to their origins.
Does anyone have any suggestions?