Marriage Licences

As an alternative to having banns called on three successive Sundays in both the bride and groom’s parish churches a couple could obtain a marriage licence instead. Before such a licence was issued the groom and a bondsman would have to attest that there was no impediment to the marriage. Whilst the bondsman (and it was almost invariably a man) might be a friend he was often related to one or other of the couple although regrettably this is not stated on the bonds. However the occupation and residence of both groom and bondsman is normally given. The bride’s home parish and the church where the wedding was to take place are also on the bond. If either bride or groom was under 21 then one or other of his or her parents had to consent to the marriage and are named on the bond. Add in the information about both parties age and the ability of groom and bondsman to write and these marriage licence bonds become a fruitful source of information in their own right and an indication of where to look for more.

The Norfolk Family History Society published a transcript of the Norwich Archdeaconry Court’s Marriage Licence Bonds for 1813 to 1837 on microfiche. The table below lists all the references to Rudram, Rudrum and Rudderham in that transcript.