marriage licences

[Forestandtree]

My ancestors in 1785 at Winchcombe obtained and were married by  a marriage licence.    Can anyone tells me please why this licence would be necessary and would they have had to pay a fee, etc.
Many thanks. M

[dawnsh]

Hi M

6 reasons given here

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Marriage_Allegations,_Bonds_and_Licences_in_England_and_Wales

Banns are more usual if the marriage is to be in the 'home' parish of the bride or groom. A licence could allow the couple to marry in another church, not the home parish of either of them.

It does cost more for a licence, and it is said that it used to be a bit of a status symbol to get married by licence, not only showing you could afford it but also not having to wait the 3 weeks while the Banns are being called in the parish, letting all know your business.

[stanmapstone]

 In 1819 the cost of an ordinary licence was £2 6s 6d which included £1 12s 6d for stamps plus £1 stamp duty for the bond. The actual fee for the licence was 14 shillings, which apparently had not changed for 30 years i.e. from about 1790, the Banns fee was 1 shilling. A Special Licence cost £30, with a Stamp Duty of £5, which made it prohibitory to all except the wealthy.

Stan

[iluleah]

Marriages by a form of ceremony conducted by an ordained clergyman, but without banns or licence, and generally not in a church or chapel, usually away from the parish of the bride or groom were termed clandestine marriages.... so a marriage act came in in 1753 which required them to apply and pay for a licence to stop clandestine marriages, which yes they would have to pay a fee to get

[stanmapstone]

. so a marriage act came in in 1753 which required them to apply and pay for a licence to stop clandestine marriages, which yes they would have to pay a fee to get

Licences have always been available for a fee, before 1753. Licences were generally provided by surrogates, there was no set fee, so the cost could vary from diocese to diocese, and surrogate to surrogate.
Cannon Law provided for the granting of a Common Licence for the solemnisation of matrimony by an Archbishop, bishop, or ordinary and this was confirmed in 1533 by the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533.
This site gives the main provisions of  'Lord Hardwicke’s Act' of 1753.  https://www.perfar.eu/policies/marriage-act-1753
Stan

[Maiden Stone]

In 1819 the cost of an ordinary licence was £2 6s 6d which included £1 12s 6d for stamps plus £1 stamp duty for the bond. The actual fee for the licence was 14 shillings, which apparently had not changed for 30 years i.e. from about 1790

Does that mean a total cost of £3 6s 6d ?
What was the pre 1790 cost? My 4x GGM and 3 of her siblings married by licence 1772-1792. Their father was a yeoman farmer and they were a Catholic family. There were 8 children to be married off. 2nd marriage of widowed mother-in-law of 4xGGM was also by licence in 1787 in same parish.  Her 1st marriage, in 1757, to her teenage spouse, whose father had died before he was born, was by banns, so presumably no shillings to spare for a licence on that occasion. All parties to both marriages were R.C. Children of 4xGGM also married by licence as did many of her relatives.
There were a lot of marriages by licence in that parish in 18th and early 19th centuries since a large proportion of inhabitants were Catholic. Even some servants at the Hall married by licence. (Catholic chapel was at the Hall.)
Meanwhile my less well-off Catholic ancestors were marrying by banns in the next parish. They were all ag. labs.
 

[stanmapstone]

According to "Daily Life in 18th-century England" a marriage licence cost £1 1s 4d  http://www.rootschat.com/links/01eno/

Stan

[Maiden Stone]

Thanks, Stan. Item above marriage licence in that book is "approximate fee for clandestine marriage 7s 6d".
 Earliest marriage by licence I found for my ancestors was 1723. The marriage was in a parish adjacent to their own. Information in one of the other links suggests a 5 shillings fee in 1730.

[Forestandtree]

Many many thanks to those lovely people who replied to my query - and so quickly too.
I will now know where to search for additional info as you have provided me with sources - well done and thanks.     M