Cowper's Canterbury Marriage Licences (published in 1892) are now digitised and searcheable online at archive.org 1568 to 1618 is at http://www.archive.org/details/canterburymarria01cant 1619 to 1660 is at http://www.archive.org/details/canterburymarria02cant Easy to download by right clicking on "pdf" and then choosing "save link as". The pdf is then readable AND searcheable on your own computer. Cowper transcribed & summarised the marriage licences held at CCA so includes many Thanet people. His introductions explain how he did it & his abbreviations. There are only a few gaps notably 1646 to 1660. Bridegrooms alphabetically listed and brides and other names indexed at end each volume. Cowper includes occupation & parents & bondsmans names & in my experience the transcriptions are quite reliable. Issue of a licence does not guarantee the marriage actually took place. Licence for marriage usually needed if: 1. either party lived outside the parish where the ceremony would take place 2. banns had not been read 3. special consent required eg one or both parties underage 4. one of the parties had previously been married within last 12 months ie recent widows or widowerall the best Barbara Callcott

The gaps from 1646-1660 were, of course, because this was during the Commonwealth period under Oliver Cromwell, when marriages were no longer the business of the church, but took place before JP. Early civil registration :-)) Anne On 11 Mar 2011, at 21:44, Barbara Callcott wrote: > Cowper's Canterbury Marriage Licences (published in 1892) are now digitised and > searcheable online at archive.org > There are only a few gaps notably 1646 to 1660. Bridegrooms > alphabetically listed and brides and other names indexed at end each volume.

Thank you so much for publicising these, Barbara. I have found quite a few Jordan/Jourdan/ Jorden entries who may or may not be connected to my Thanet families. Several hours of happy browsing ahead, I think! Anne On 11 Mar 2011, at 21:44, Barbara Callcott wrote: > Cowper's Canterbury Marriage Licences (published in 1892) are now digitised and > searcheable online at archive.org > > 1568 to 1618 is at http://www.archive.org/details/canterburymarria01cant > 1619 to 1660 is at http://www.archive.org/details/canterburymarria02cant > Easy to download by right clicking on "pdf" and then choosing "save link as". > The pdf is then readable AND searcheable on your own computer. >