Free article and Index – Fleet Marriages
Many of the records of the Fleet marriages have been lost, but an article on clandestine marriages was published in the November 1984 HGS journal. Following this HGS member and our ‘Strays Co-ordinator’ at the time, Alan McGowan, then searched the surviving records held in the TNA (Ref: PRO RG7 series, Fleet Marriages 1699-1754, with two further registers in PROB 18/50) and extracted those with a Hampshire interest, which was published in the HGS journal Aug 1985, Vol XII, No 2, p77. This list can be seen below and also in our Research Centre
Fleet Marriages
In England and Wales it was against church (canon) law for marriages to be conducted anywhere other than in an Anglican church after the reading of Banns for 3 weeks or by Licence. However marriages without Banns or Licence did take place, with a simple affirmation by the couple in front of witnesses (usually two). These marriages were technically known as clandestine and although not subject to the checks required by the church authorities they were nevertheless recognised in common law.
Most of these clandestine marriages took place in the Fleet Prison, London, which was mainly a debtors’ and bankrupts’ prison. Some of the prisoners lived in the surrounding area, but were subject to the ‘Rules of the Fleet’, i.e. they could take lodgings within the area of the ‘Liberty of the Fleet’. Some of the imprisoned clergymen would marry anyone for a fee and clandestine marriages would take place in the prison chapel (until 1711) but also at inns and various other places within the area.
The introduction of the ‘Act for the Better Preventing of Clandestine Marriages’ came into force on 25 March 1754 effectively ended clandestine marriages. It is popularly known as ‘Hardwick’s Marriage Act’ and was named after the Lord Chancellor of the Day, the first Earl of Hardwicke. All marriages had now to take place in the Church of England (except Quaker or Jewish marriages) and the records had to be kept in a separate marriage register.
Chris Pavey
HGS Research Centre
| Surname | First Name | Details | Surname | First Name | Details | Date | PRO RG 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrews | Sarah | sp of Wadhurst Sussex (m) | Smith | William | bach of Freshwater Hants husbandman | 15 Jan 1753 | 268 p57 |
| Baker | William | bach of Horsham bricklayer (m) | Huchins | Susanna | wid of Portsmouth | 23 Jun 1724 | 62 p110v & 67 p113v |
| Brittian | James | bach of Ringwood Hants Weaver (m) | Harris | Elizabeth | sp of St Leonards Surrey | 21 Jun 1730 | 101 p57 |
| Buchar | Ann | sp of Chailey Sussex (m) | Vice | George | bach of Odiam Hants Labourer | 27 Dec …. | 262 p45v |
| Carsom | Daniel | bach of Farnborough husbandman (m) | Cornish | Jane | sp of Sheering Essex | 25 4ug 1723 | 62 p95v |
| Cornish | Jane | sp of Sheering Essex (m) | Carsom | Daniel | bach of Farnborough husbandman | 24 Aug 1772 | 62 p95v |
| Harmstrong | Theodosia | sp of Plexton Kent | White | Thomas | bach of Rogut (sic) (Rogate of Sussex?) | 18 Sep 1743 | 202 p97v |
| Harris | Elizabeth | sp of St Leonards Surrey (m) | Brittian | James | bach of Ringwood Hants Weaver | 21 Jun 1730 | 101 p57 |
| Heridge | John | wid of St Mary Southampton Husbandman (m) | Vere | Jane | sp of Otford Kent | 29 Sep 1738 | 142 p103 |
| Hills | Winifred | sp of Rootham (Wrotham) Kent (m) | Milbourn | Joseph | bach of Newham Hants Papermaker | 25 Nov 1752 | 268 p57 |
| Hutchins | Susanna | wid of Portsmouth (m) | Baker | William | bach of Horsham bricklayer | 23 Jun 1724 | 62 p110v & 67 p113v |
| Kimball | Johanna | sp of New Town Hants (m) | Turner | William | bach of Seven Oaks labourer | 04 Sep 1724 | 67 p114 |
| Milbourn | Joseph | bach of Newham Hants Papermaker (m) | Hills | Winnifred | sp of Rootham (Wrotham?) Kent | 25 Nov 1752 | 268 p57 |
| Naisl (sic) | Margaret | of Cleverton Hants (this could refer to Cleverton Wilts or Claverton Somerset) (m) | Roberts | John | of Horsham Surrey (sic) | 31 Jul 1737 | 164 p14v |
| Roberts | John | of Horsham Surrey (sic) (m) | Naisl (sic) | Margaret | of Cleverton Hants (this could refer to Cleverton Wilts or Claverton Somerset) | 31 Jul 1737 | 164 p14v |
| Sharp | William | bach of Ringwood Hants Chapman (m) | Lunn | Mary | sp of Linesfield Surrey | 02 Apr 1736 | 18 p118v |
| Smith | William | bach of Freshwater Hants husbandman (m) | Andrews | Sarah | sp of Wadhurst Sussex | 15 Jan 1753 | 268 p57 |
| Sunn | Mary | sp of Linesfield Surrey (m) | Sharp | William | bach of Ringwood Hants Weaver | 02 Apr 1736 | 18 p118v |
| Turner | William | bach of Seven Oaks labourer (m) | Kimball | Johanna | sp of New Town Hants | 04 Sep 1724 | 67 p114 |
| Vere | Jane | sp of Otford Kent (m) | Heridge | John | wid of St Mary Southampton Husbandman | 29 Sep 1738 | 142 p103 |
| Vice | George | bach of Odiam Hants Labourer (m) | Buchar | Ann | sp of Chailey Susses | 27 Dec …. | 262 p45v |
| White | Thomas | bach of Rogut (sic) (Rogate Sussex?) (m) | Harmstrong | Theodosia | sp of Plexton Kent | 18 Sep 1743 | 202 p97v |