Hi, Everyone,
When at Suffolk Record Office, Bury St. Edmunds, this last week doing a look-up or two for a fellow Rootschatter, I came across a statement made under oath by a John SADLER on 5th October 1822, saying that he was indeed the named person he said he was, that he was the age he was, and that he'd been living at the house of his future father-in-law for the last week; similarly his intended bride, a Mary Anne CLARK had to make the same oath that she was indeed Mary Ann, of lawful age, and had lived at her father's house for 6 years. John had to say that he knew of no lawful impediment of any former marriage, and the document was signed by their marks in front of a JP, Mr Gilly.
Now, was this a common process in those days - wasn't a posting up and reading of the Banns usually the way that any objections to a marriage taking place was effected?
What might the reasons have been for such a document to have been drawn up, and would it have been Mary Anne's father, John CLARK, who would have wanted to have gone to the trouble (and expense?) of drawing up such a document?
As a postscript, I cannot find any mention of a marriage between the two hopeful participants beyond 1822, on the IGI at least, so perhaps John SADLER's intentions turned out to be hollow ones...
Very best wishes,
Keith
