Vicar-General Marriage Licence Index Examples of allegations
	This page provides samples of allegations which were the original "application forms" for licences Return to homepage

Not surprisingly you will find that marriage licence allegations follow a fairly standard format although they do change somewhat over the 150 years or so covered by the surname index. The purpose of this page is to give you some typical examples of what you will find when you look up a film of an allegation having been directed where to look by the date in the surname index. Some allegations are much longer than these examples - normally this arises where a minor wants to get married but her parents are abroad. There is then the exchange of correspondence giving permission filed as an attachment to the allegation itself. In one example I came across, the girl's parents were in the West Indies whilst she was in England - bearing in mind that the mail had to go by sailing ship you can imagine how drawn out the correspondence was!

However the examples which I have chosen are much more mundane. Even so you can get very useful genealogical clues as to residence, perhaps parents and, in the case of Example 2, the fact that the bride's parents were both dead. You also have a direct reference to the parish where the marriage record is most likely to be.

Finally for those of you who are familiar with the places concerned please note the amusing old spellings. For those of you who are not familiar with the modern names do remember to take care because the old spellings can be confusing. For example Moreden in Surry is, in modern spelling, Morden in Surrey.

Because the images which I have put up are about half life size and the quality has been degraded to provide a reasonably compact gif file they are, of course much harder to read than the microfilm or photocopies taken from the microfilm images. Nevertheless using the transcripts as a guide you will find that you can pick out some words and at least get a feel for what the real thing looks like.

Example 1 - John Rose and Catherine Baker

	February 17th 1745
	Which day appeared personally John Rose of Saint Edmunds Bury in Suffolk aged Twenty Nine Years and a Batchelor and alledged he intends to marry with Catherine Baker of the Parish of Saint James Westminster in the County of Middlesex aged thirty years and a Spinster. Not knowing or beleiving [sic] any Impediment by reason of any Precontract Consanguinity Affinity or any other lawfull means whatsoever to hinder the said intended marriage of the truth of which he made Oath and prayed Licence for them to be married in the Parish Church of Christ Church or Saint Leonard Shoreditch in the County of Middlesex.
	John Rose

Example 2 - Thomas Stacey and Mary Beach

	4 April 1746
	Which Day appeared Personally Thomas Stacey Junior of Moreden in the County of Surry aged twenty four Years and a Batchelor and alledged he intends to marry with Mary Beach of the same place aged Twenty Years a minor and Spinster by and with the Consent of Richard Norris her uncle and Guardian lawfully appointed she having neither Father Mother Testamentary or other Guardian whatsoever to her appointed. Not knowing or beleiving any Impediment by reason of any precontract Consanguinity Affinity or any other lawfull means whatsoever to hinder the said intended marriage of the truth of which he made oath and Prayed Licence for them to be married in the parish church of Moreden aforesaid or Martin in the same County and then also appeared personally the said Richard Norris and alledged that he is the Uncle and Guardian lawfully appointed to the above named Mary Beach the Minor she having neither Father Mother Testamentary or other Guardian whatsoever to her appointed and is consenting to the above intended Marriage.
	Thomas Stacey Richard Norris

Example 3 - Robert Score and Elizabeth Stockburn

	30th September 1760
	Which day appeared personally Robert Score and made oath that he is of the Parish of Saint Martin in the fields in the County of Middlesex Batchelor aged Twenty one years and upwards and that he intends to intermarry with Elizabeth Stockburn of the parish of Saint Mary Lebone in the County aforesaid Spinster aged Twenty one years and upwards and in which said parish she hath her usual Place of abode for the space of four weeks last Past. Not knowing or beleiving any Impediment by reason of any precontract Consanguinity Affinity or any Other Cause whatsoever to hinder the said Intended Marriage and he prayed a licence for them to be Married in Parish Church of St Mary Le bone aforesaid.
	Rob't Score

Example 4 - William Jager and Mary Hill

	August 17th 1829
	Appeared personally William Jager of the Parish of Saint George in the East in the County of Middlesex a Batchelor of the age of Twenty years and upwards but under the age of twenty one years and prayed a Licence for the Solemnization of Matrimony, in the Parish Church of Saint John Wapping in the County of Middlesex between him and Mary Hill of the parish of Saint John Wapping in the said County of Middlesex a Spinster aged twenty years and upwards but under the age of twenty one years and made oath that he believeth that there is no Impediment of Kindred or Alliance, or any other lawful Cause, nor any Suit commenced in any Ecclesiastical Court, to bar or hinder the Proceeding of the said Matrimony, according to the Tenor of such Licence. And he further made Oath, that she the said Mary Hill hath her usual Place of Abode within the said Parish of Saint John Wapping for the Space of Fifteen Days last past. And the said William Jager further made Oath that the consent of the Deponents natural and lawful Father Arnold Julius Jager and also the consent of William Hill the natural and lawful Father of the said Mary Hill respectively have been had to the solemnization of the above intended Marriage.
	William Jager

Updated by David Squire 15 November 2000
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