John Gardiner and Ann Meck marriage - advice would be appreciated!

[Sandrafamilytree]

I’m trying to find the marriage of my ancestors John Gardiner and Ann Meck, and I’m a bit stuck. (I’m a relative beginner. Any help, or knowledge of this family, would be greatly appreciated!)

This is what I tentatively THINK is correct so far.

Ann Meck was born in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk in 1764, the child of William Meck and Susannah Cornish.
I think John Gardiner may have been born around 1765. (There is a John Gardiner who was buried in Great Ryburgh in 1816 at the age of 51.) I can’t find a birth for him in that area, but other Ancestry trees suggest he might have been born in South Elmham, Suffolk.
I think John and Ann had at least 8 children between 1792 and 1807.

I cannot find a plausible marriage in Norfolk or Suffolk.

However, there was a marriage between a John Gardiner and an Ann Meck at St George’s Church, Hanover Square in London on 15 March 1792. The marriage was by licence. (No clue with the witnesses – one is a Caleb Greville, who appears to be rent-a-witness, appearing on several other marriage records. The other is Francis (cannot read the surname) but I think he appears on other records too.)

Back in Great Ryburgh, I think John Gardiner's and Ann Meck’s first child was Mary, born 8 April 1792. If the London wedding is correct, that would mean Mary was born just a month after the wedding. The baptism record gives the baptism date at St Andrew’s Church, Great Ryburgh as 5 May 1793 (a year after the birth). It also states that Mary had been privately baptised on 17 April 1792.

At first I thought it implausible that the London couple are correct… but then I wondered whether it was possible that Ann was pregnant and they went to another area to marry and then had their child baptised back in Great Ryburgh much later.

Is this plausible? If a Norfolk couple wanted to marry elsewhere, would they go all the way to London? Would that not be difficult to arrange? Would they have married so late on in the bride's pregnancy? Would they not choose somewhere closer? (I haven’t yet found a London connection for the family, but there may be one somewhere.)

Is there a much, much simpler explanation, with a local marriage I have somehow failed to find? Does anyone know this family?

Any advice or insight from more experienced researchers would be a great help! Thank you so much.

[maddys52]

The marriage certainly sounds likely, even though it is far from Norfolk. You are fortunate that the  parish register for the baptism lists the mother's maiden name - ie Ann MECK. The marriage was by license - not sure if there is more information to be found on the actual license. They were both "of this parish" though this only means they were both resident there for the required time before the marriage.

As an aside, Caleb GREVILLE was parish clerk of St George's Hanover Square. 

[maddys52]

For interest there is a mention of John GARDINER of Great Ryburgh in 1810 in occupation of "Gravel Pit Close", belonging to Edmund WODEHOUSE.
Saturday,  Apr. 21, 1810
Publication: Norfolk Chronicle

[Sandrafamilytree]

Very many thanks Maddy for your two helpful replies and advice. I'll check out that publication, too. 

[amondg]

Notes
Mary was baptized 17 April 1792. Received into the church 5 May 1793 age 1

[amondg]

The Norwich Mercury is also a good source for example

Published 28 January 1828  On Sunday last Mr. Morris Gardiner  shopkeeper of Ashill to to Miss Susan Collett of Fakenham.

Norfolk News 22 August 1868 - All persons having claim or demand against the estate of Morris Gardiner late of Ashill in the County of Norfolk, shopkeeper.

[Sandrafamilytree]

Thanks very much for that advice, amondg. I must admit I haven't explored newspapers very much so far. I'm planning to try out my local library shortly, as they offer some free access to online newspaper records.

[maddys52]

Not sure where you are in the world, some libraries offer free access to British Library Newspapers online from your computer. My Australian National Library Card gives access to Gale Primary Sources via their eresources which includes the British Library Newspapers.