In broad terms 1754 - 1837 the only place you could marry legally was a Church of England church. The exceptions being Quakers and Jews. Many people either married illegally in their own churches, or married in C of E churches, but this was frowned on by their churches. From 1837 places had to be licensed to perform marriages (as still happens today). So Register Offices came into being, and the larger Non Conformist churches registered themselves. A small chapel like Weston Colville probably wasn't licensed, so the couple would have to decide what to do, they could travel to Cambridge or Newmarket for a Register Office, travel to one of the bigger Primitive Methodist chapels, or stay in their own village with friends and family around them ......... In message <000e01c42c2d$f282def0$9f518690@computer>, John Powley <powley2@bigpond.com> writes >John, I hope I am not giving you incorrect information, but I am sure that >the well-known genalogist, Colin Chapman, said at the Launceston gathering >in the early 1990's, that it was only legal to be married in the Churh of >England until a certain year, which I can't remember. I then thought that >this is why only C.of E. parishes were listed in the IGI? Someone with more >knowledge will hopefully give more info. Shirley(Australia) >----- Original Message ----- > > > > >From: "John Waters" <waters65@relax.com.au> >To: <ENG-CAMBRIDGESHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 5:32 PM >Subject: [ENG-CAMB] Primitive Methodists and Marriages > > >> My g-grandparents were members of the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Weston >Colville at the time of their marriage in 1849, but they were married in the >Parish Church of St Mary. Could someone please confirm for me whether this >would be because at that time the chapel did not have a license to perform >marriages. Thank you. >> >> John Waters >> Melbourne >> >> >> ==== ENG-CAMBRIDGESHIRE Mailing List ==== >> . >> >> > >______________________________ -- Wendy Doyle