----- Original Message -----
From: <HyBarker(a)aol.com>
To: <MIDMARCH-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday 06 2002 4:47 AM
Subject: [MM] Re:Clandestine Marriages
I have been asked what the Fleet Registers are - so a very general
answer:
Quote from Mark Herber:
"Since the 13th Cy the Church has laid down rules for couples who asked it
to
marry them. If a couple could not comply with these rules, or for
some
reason did not wish to, they could be married in an irregular marriage
ceremony. These were treated as valid by the English Courts ..."
"The Fleet prison, on Farringdon Street, was established in the 12th Cy,
but
after 1655 was primarily used to confine debtors and those in
contempt of
court. ... The Fleet remained a prison until its closure in 1842, but
from
about 1700 until 1754, the prison and the Rules (the area around the
prison)
were also the most famous (or infamous) centre for clandestine
marriages
in
England."
"Clandestine marriages were conducted by priests in the Fleet prison
chapel
and later in chapels, marriage houses and taverns that were
established in
the Rules. Many of the marriages were recorded in registers and notebooks
..."
It is these registers and notebooks which are being transcribed and
published
by Mark Herber. To him we owe a debt of gratitude. Buy his three
books -
they are only about 9 UK pounds each and are well worth having on
your
shelf.
Hope that helps
Cyril
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