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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: Ruskie on Saturday 20 May 23 01:45 BST (UK)
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Can anyone point me in the direction of the marriage licences for St George Bloomsbury?
I have a marriage on the 6th of February 1770 between Robert Akers and Elizabeth Starling - by licence. I have seen the original marriage entry on Ancestry (Marriages and Banns 1754 - 1938).
Internet searches only seem to mention the location of marriages, not licences, but I may be missing something.
I am hoping to find the licence, if it still exists, in the hope of a clue to Elizabeth’s origins.
I would be grateful for any assistance or advice.
Many thanks.
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They have it at the society of genealogists.
In the Vicar General licence set. (£15 to have it scanned and sent I think ☹️).
https://sogdata.org.uk/bin/aps_detail.php?id=1900717
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Many thanks mckha489.
£15 is a bit steep for me, but I’ll tell my fourth cousin - he may be willing to pay for it. :)
Added: Using your link I can see the list of various marriage licences they hold. Do you need to be a paid up member to see the index?
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Try getting to it from their home page.
https://www.sog.org.uk/
(I am an overseas member, so I can’t tell you what you can see without, but since a member can order that for £12 I would have thought you could get through to it)
If you have FindMyPast it is listed there and then an order button at the bottom.
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Just to clarify, the allegations for VG licences are not held by the SoG and cannot be accessed from their website. They are held by Lambeth Palace Library.
The SoG hold copies of the LDS films of these allegations, and they have indexed them. A digitisation of their index is on FindMyPast. A printout from the SoG copy of the film can be ordered via FindMyPast for £15.00, as mentioned above.
However, digitised images of these allegations are accessible free of charge at LDS Family History Centres. The film you need for the AKERS/STARLING allegation is 368961 (Vol. 158 Jan-Dec 1770).
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/42202?availability=Family%20History%20Library
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I'm not certain that all Licences at this time have the same format.
I have a 1771 Bond and Allegation from Yorkshire. The Allegation gives the name, occupation, residence (town/parish), marital status and age of the groom, and the information for the bride gives her age and residence (town/parish). If she is a minor then additional information would say who gives their permission for the marriage to take place. The Bond gives very little additional information.
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Thank you again Mckha.
Bookbox, many thanks for tracking that film down for me. I haven’t been to an LDS centre for years, but have one nearby, so will have to organize a visit.
Bumblebee, that is exactly the sort of information I was hoping that a licence might give me.
Thank you very much everyone.
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Good luck with your search :)
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I finally found that there was a BIG difference between asking for a copy of the Marriage Licence and the Bond/Allegation.
Don't get caught like I did - sent my £10 or £15 for a Marriage Licence and all it had was Fred Smith of St Mary's married Mary Brown of Enfield on 31 Feb 1800 (or whatever) - not what I was looking for at all.
I then realised I should have specified I wanted a copy of the Bond/Allegation. That's what had the extra information.
The film Bookbox mentioned looks like a winner
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Thanks for the word of caution buttons. :)
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As far as I am aware only the Bond and Allegation are ever viewable. The Licence was kept by the church, I think.
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As far as I am aware only the Bond and Allegation are ever viewable. The Licence was kept by the church, I think.
Oh, thanks for that BumbleB. :)
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I’ve just got back to this again, and looking more closely at Bookbox’s link, I don’t think this film can be ordered to any LDS centre. In fact it seems that no films can be ordered to LDS centres to be viewed anymore. If it’s not online, you’re out of luck.
From what I can see, the only place this film can be viewed is in Utah.
It looks like I might have to go down the SoG route after all. :)
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I’ve just got back to this again, and looking more closely at Bookbox’s link, I don’t think this film can be ordered to any LDS centre. In fact it seems that no films can be ordered to LDS centres to be viewed anymore.
All LDS films, including this one, have now been digitised. Films are no long orderable. You should be able to view the digitised content of this item on a computer terminal at any FHC or Affiliated Library. I suggest you contact your local LDS centre to check.
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Thanks Bookbox. Yes, asking them would probably be wise. :)
I admit to being quite confused when trying to find where I could view this Allegation, and I just seemed to end up going round in circles.
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If you are up for it, you could try asking them (the LDS) to send you a copy of the allegation? :-\
FamilySearch Library Record Lookup. Is this still going on? I have reason to think it might be (I could be wrong!)
Has link to the form(s)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/record-lookup-service
I suspect, as far as the film requests go, they would desire that the record is actually indexed on FamilySearch?
But you have the film number
The film you need for the AKERS/STARLING allegation is 368961 (Vol. 158 Jan-Dec 1770).
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/42202?availability=Family%20History%20Library
You have the date the licence was issued, 5 Feb 1770 (which was the day before the marriage)
If it's still going, you never know, they might do it for you :-\
Ready to be shot down in flames about this!
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My understanding is that this (very useful) record-copying service was discontinued when the digitisation process of the LDS films was completed. But I could be wrong.
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Hi Bookbox
The LDS had a copying service for a while, I think it was called "photoduplication" and I believe they ended up being deluged with requests. I seem to recall some people boasting about getting round the permitted (weekly?, monthly?) quota by using different e-mail addresses (very naughty)
You are probably right about their digitisation programme being given as the reason for the end of that service.
I think this record copying thing I have linked to may have been started during the pandemic? But perhaps I ought to try the thing myself, see if it works, before suggesting it others!
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No, it's much older than that. I remember using it when the IGI was still on microfiche!
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Ah, OK.
(How I hated microfiche!)
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Well, I've put in a request (but not for the marriage allegation!)
Something indexed on FS, but not available at home.
If I'm successful, I may let on. If not, then forget I posted about it!
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Looking forward to an update.
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Ooo, that sounds interesting Jon. Let us know how you get on. :)
Added: I’ve bitten the bullet and submitted a lookup request as well. Thanks for the suggestion Jon. I will report back once I hear from them.
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Good luck!
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Thanks Jon. :)
You would think that if the look up service was no longer available, they would have removed the form from their website.
I received an email, presumably automated, telling me to expect a response in one to four weeks. No doubt you received the same email. ;D
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Hi
Yes, I got one too.
All we can do now is wait and hope!
Jon
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Have you heard anything about your request yet Jon? I haven’t.
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Have you heard anything about your request yet Jon? I haven’t.
Oh dear ….. I’ve just looked again at the “automated” reply sent the day after my request on the 7th June. Their reply was dated the 8th of June. At the bottom of the automated reply they included the marriage allegation and licence!!! I feel such a fool for not scrolling firther down the page, and missing it! And rude for not thanking them. :-[
The bad news is that whoever wrote out the allegation looks to have been very elderly and has very wobbly writing, which is difficult to read. I will look again more closely.
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Hi there
That's good news. It works! So fast as well, even if you didn't realise!
Have you thought about posting a bit of it on the handwriting board for help?
I have not fared quite so well.
I got no attachment on 6 June.
They sent me another message on 21 June. Like you, I did not scroll down, and missed the attachment.
However, I didn't get an image, they said
Hello,
This record is restricted. We can only
extract the Film Number, Image
Number, Names, Relationships, Dates
and Locations.
Film 7907121 Image 228
They then kindly confirmed dates of both the calling of the banns and the marriage, which was in Suffolk.
I guess it's a Suffolk thing? But anyway, good to know that anyone who tries this may get an image back. Perhaps Bookbox will have a go!
Jon
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Perhaps Bookbox will have a go!
Found this ...
https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/record-lookup-service
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Oh my, sorry Bookbox. Thanks for letting us know.
Ruskie, you were just in time!
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It’s a shame that this service has been discontinued. Thanks for letting us know Bookbox.
I agree that I was very lucky to receive an image, and so quickly.
Odd that your record was “restricted” Jon, but I’m sure there must be a reason. :-\
I have managed to decipher a couple more words from the allegation. If I have trouble with the remaining three or four words, I might post here for a second opinion.