I wonder how many of those "far from home" marriages occurred because the wife was already pregnant. Thus, the folks at home could be told that the marriage had been earlier than it actually was. Another reason for "secret" marriages was that many employers banned their employees from marrying each other (Bates and Anna of Downton Abbey notwithstanding). Even in 1928, my parents (in England) were married some distance from their place of employment, and kept the marriage secret for some time - until they could both find employment elsewhere, because both were employed by a family that had such a ban. Happy hunting!   Diana Robinson (nee Gardner) Now in Rochester, NY, USA -----Original Message----- From: Anne Cole [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2014 6:11 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LIN] Richard BRANT/Jane THACKER marriage licence find.1736/7 This is a difficult one Margaret. Perhaps you should eliminate this couple before you decide they are not yours. Have you found any children of a Richard & Jane Brant in London? Most of the London parish registers are searchable on Ancestry. I have a couple married in St Paul's, Lincoln in the 1670s - he was from Beverley in Yorkshire and she was from Winteringham, north Lincolnshire. People did travel a long way to marry sometimes, particularly if they had some reason to keep the fact that they were getting married a secret. Anne Anne Cole, President, Lincolnshire Family History Society Duncalf(e)/Duncuff/Duncuft One-name Study GOONS member 513 http://www.one-name.org/profiles/duncalf.html http://duncalfonenamestudy.tribalpages.com/ Lincolnshire Post 1837 Marriage Index http://mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.uk/ Lincolnshire Family History Society http://www.lincolnshirefhs.org.uk -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Margaret Taylor Sent: 30 January 2014 22:35 To: [email protected] Subject: [LIN] Richard BRANT/Jane THACKER marriage licence find.1736/7 Advice please: Further to my letter last week. I received a copy of the 16 March 1737 Marriage Allegation today and to my surprise see that it notes Richard BRAND age 27 Bachelor and Jane THACKER spinster both of the parish of St.Andrew Undershaft. A search on the web tells me this parish is in London.A further search on Ancestry noted that this marriage actually did take place there. IF these "are" the parents of my 4xgt grandparents is it likely that they would travel from Lincoln to London to be married? Quite a journey in 1737. There was an older brother of "my" Richard, a William bp "24 Jan 1737" in St.Swithin Lincolnshire. You would have thought however, that they would have waited until after the marriage to have the child christened ! I have found no other couple with those names married in Lincolnshire. Do you think I should discount this couple and keep searching for a marriage of a Richard BRANT and a Jane? Margaret Taylor ( Port Perry.Ont) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message