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Family History Documents and Artefacts => FH Documents and Artefacts => Topic started by: weemantam on Monday 19 October 09 21:28 BST (UK)

Title: What's a pawn?
Post by: weemantam on Monday 19 October 09 21:28 BST (UK)

Roght were not on chess here - otherwise I;d be bang off topic BUT what is a Pawn.

Context?

I'm looking at a Scottish Parish Marriage entry 1750's.

Specifically a "Pawn" is "Delivered" a few days before a marriage.

Is this a local term for a Bann or is there a difference (I say local - I live two miles form where than Register was written up!)

Cheers for any help.

Steve

Title: Re: What's a pawn?
Post by: danuslave on Monday 19 October 09 22:07 BST (UK)

Hi Steve

I don't know exactly but this might help.  Paraphrased from

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Banns were supposed to be proclaimed for 3 successive Sundays, but could all be proclaimed on the same day, on payment of a fee

Couples or their 'cautioners' (sponsors) could be required to pay a 'caution' or security to prove the seriousness of their intentions.

Also - one definition of 'pawn' is 'the state of being pledged'

Linda

Title: Re: What's a pawn?
Post by: Viktoria on Monday 19 October 09 22:15 BST (UK)

A pawn can mean a sort of guarantee, possibly a fee had to be paid in advance to be sure the ceremony took place or something like that.But since starting this reply another RootsChatter has given an explanation that seems correct to me ,glad you have been helped. Cheerio. Viktoria.

Title: Re: What's a pawn?
Post by: weemantam on Monday 19 October 09 22:22 BST (UK)

Thanks guys.

Sounds to me like it was a pledge fee, basically a method of the church being paid without being paid (I'm such a cynic! LOL)

I checked Wikipedia and it is indeed a legal pledge. I'm assuming that the pledge is secured with a fee to demonstrate that it is being taken seriously (paraphrasing the paraphrase)

Cheers for the input guys.

:)

Steve