Objection to Banns

[Graham Ward]

Has anyone come across examples where Banns have been objected to? Presumably this might occur because of a previous marriage (bigamy), lack of consent by parents in the case of minors, and the marriage to a close family member.

You might expect if this happened the Banns would be crossed through or a helpful incumbent might add a marginal note. I've just never found one!

Thanks.

 

[peter]

I have seen at least one example, but relatively few banns registers are online, which doesn't help.

I have seen many examples of marriages which did not take place, even though the banns were read three times (one of them involved my great-great-great-great grandfather), but it's rare for any reason to be noted. My ancestor married someone else but I haven't managed to trace his intended.

 

[Stuart]

If you heard about a marriage you thought might be dodgy, what would you do? I'd be surprised if anyone would announce it in public when the banns were read, at least as a first step. Would you not go and have a word with the minister after the service, ask what he thought? Banns are, after all, advance notice of the marriage. If it still went ahead and you were sufficiently concerned, you could object theatrically at the marriage itself.

And if someone did alert the minister, and the marriage didn't happen, how would that appear in the records? As Peter says, I think it wouldn't.

 

[peter]

you could object theatrically at the marriage itself

Reminds me of The Graduate.....

 

[Helen7]

Reminds me of The Graduate.....

It reminded me of Jane Eyre...