From Tallow Chandler, to Confectioner, to Excise Officer to 'General Merchant'?

[BumbleB]

Not sure about digital copies, but certainly paper copies.   

[Matt62]

Not sure about digital copies, but certainly paper copies.   

Excellent stuff! 

[stanmapstone]

BTW may I ask Bumble, what is a marriage 'by license'?

Common/Ordinary Licence - This could be obtained from any bishop or archbishop, Chancellor or Surrogate, and meant the Banns need not be read - and so there was not the minimum delay of two weeks.
A visit to the clergyman issuing the licence resulted in three documents, an allegation or affidavit, a marriage bond and the licence. Bonds were a very common legal device. By entering into a bond a person would agree for instance that a statement was true, for a marriage  that there was no "lawful let or impediment" to the proposed marriage. If this was not the case  a penalty was due to the church official concerned, if the marriage did not take place the bond was irrelevant. A marriage bond would mention the two people who wanted to get married, not just one.  By the late 18th Century the penalty was £200. I would expect that they would not have to prove they had the money. After 1823 bonds ceased to be necessary.
You can see examples of a Marriage Bond, Allegation, and Licence at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,438148.msg3016813.html#msg3016813
The actual wording varied over the years.
A Special Ecclesiastical Licence from the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury,  permitted a marriage to be solemnised at any time and at any place, consecrated or not. Prior to 1755 both the Vicar General and the Master of Faculties were able to grant Special Licences, but after 20 January 1755 only the latter issued them.


Stan

[BumbleB]

As usual, Stan has summed it up.  So, if you didn't want to wait 3 weeks for the Banns to be read, or you didn't want the neighbours to know you wanted to marry, then you applied for a licence.    I have personally found that bonds have given me additional information that would not be available from the parish records, which is why I advocate getting that information. 

[Matt62]

Excellent information Stan and Bumble you have been invaluable helps 

If I may ask about another of Michael's occupations, what is an excise officer and are there any records for Scotland between the years 1840-1870?

[Marmalady]

Hi Matt -- once again our ancestors paths follow a similar direction -- tho mine are somewhat later than yours, so in this instance they are unlikely to have met.

My Mary Wainwright of Barnsley (a connection via marriage to the Trants we were discussing the other day!) married an Excise Officer, Michael Ignatius Giblin in Barnsley in 1862. They later transferred to Glasgow sometime between 1872 & 1875. Maybe there was a continual need for Excise Officers in Scotland that could not be met locally so transfers were common?

I can see a logical transition from tallow chandler (boiling up fats to make candles) to confectioner (boiling up sugar to make sweets etc) - a much more pleasant  occupation!
And then, when he moves up to Leeds - he has to take whatever job he can get - as a potter, then selling the pots.
He then for whatever reason fancies a change of direction so becomes an Excise Officer -- as you say probably a civil servant type job  collecting taxes etc
Then when he finishes that - he goes back to what he has done for a lot of his life - retail in a general store

[stanmapstone]

There is a National Archives Guide at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/excise-officer.htm You can search entry papers of Excise officers by name

Stan

[Matt62]

Hi Matt -- once again our ancestors paths follow a similar direction -- tho mine are somewhat later than yours, so in this instance they are unlikely to have met.

My Mary Wainwright of Barnsley (a connection via marriage to the Trants we were discussing the other day!) married an Excise Officer, Michael Ignatius Giblin in Barnsley in 1862. They later transferred to Glasgow sometime between 1872 & 1875. Maybe there was a continual need for Excise Officers in Scotland that could not be met locally so transfers were common?

I can see a logical transition from tallow chandler (boiling up fats to make candles) to confectioner (boiling up sugar to make sweets etc) - a much more pleasant  occupation!
And then, when he moves up to Leeds - he has to take whatever job he can get - as a potter, then selling the pots.
He then for whatever reason fancies a change of direction so becomes an Excise Officer -- as you say probably a civil servant type job  collecting taxes etc
Then when he finishes that - he goes back to what he has done for a lot of his life - retail in a general store

Dear Marmalady 

Happy to see you again!

How interesting that there is a parallel development in the careers of our ancestors again - including a similar move up to Scotland. I should add that Michael Welch's son Thomas Fawell Welch eventually moved to Glasgow and died there in 1886.

As with yours being through marriage, my Michael Welch married Isabella Fawell, daughter of the Thomas Fawell we discussed the other day, who had been the surgeon and apothecary living as a neighbour of your Thomas Trant in Briggate, Leeds.

You describe the kind of neat and logical transition in his career that I was looking for. Indeed considering that your ancestors also relocated to Scotland, it would seem that there may well have been a need for Excise Officers up north that could not be met locally.

Fascinating and informative as before, thank you Marmalady.

[Matt62]

There is a National Archives Guide at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/excise-officer.htm You can search entry papers of Excise officers by name

Stan

Thank you! I did a search on this the other day but couldn't seem to find Michael. I may try again, might tweak the name a little and see if anything comes up. I'm not sure if Scottish records are held there, nonetheless?