Married by Special Licence?

[forthefamily]

I have a marriage in 1905 at the Roman Catholic Parochial Parish of Creggan in the Registrar's District of Eglinton in the Union of Londonderry in the County of Derry.

The couple were married "by special licence". Both are of "full age".

Any ideas why they would be marrying by special licence ?

mab

[Jebber]

Usually because there was a need for a quick marriage.

[forthefamily]

Yes but I can't imagine what the reason would be? They had only one child born in 1910 so not a pregnancy.

mab

[aghadowey]

Perhaps speedy wedding related to employment (taking up new job, for example), chance to get a house, illness of close relative, disapproval of family ...
Other possibility that bride was pregnant (later stillbirth or miscarriage) ...

[heywood]

Did they both live in that area? I just wondered if for any of the reasons aghadowey gives, they were marrying away from their own parishes - or the bride’s parish.

[forthefamily]

All good reasons

I just found the death of the husband in 1910. The cause of death was phthisis and the comment "years" under it points to a long term illness. Kind of morbid but maybe they thought he was dying and married quickly. 

mab

[forthefamily]

Heywood

He was from Limavady and she was from Tygore. Tygore is in the parish that they married in if I have it right. So he was not of the parish. But the reading of the banns would have covered that right?

mab

[heywood]

I don’t know, sorry. I thought a special licence removed the need for Banns.

[forthefamily]

Not sure but I think you're correct

mab