Marriage Bonds

MARRIAGE BONDS, 1754 – 1825,
Lichfield Diocesan Record Office.
Marriage bonds and allegations were the papers completed by a prospective bridegroom to enable him to obtain a marriage licence. The original licence rarely survives but the bonds and allegations were kept and filed by the issuing ecclesiastical court. The following bonds are all stored at Lichfield Record Office.
Marriage bonds and allegations only exist for couples who applied to marry by licence not those who married by banns – the majority. The marriage allegation was the document in which the couple alleged (or frequently just the groom alleged on behalf of both of them) that there were no impediments to the marriage.
The marriage bond set a financial penalty on the groom and his bondsman (usually a close friend or relative) in case the allegation should prove to be false. After 1823 marriage bonds were no longer made. Only the allegations were made after this date. On the marriage bonds the sum given was not the price of the marriage licence; it was a penalty sum set deliberately high to deter irregular marriages. The existence of a marriage bond and/or allegation just shows that a marriage licence was applied for and does not prove the couple ever married.
Ages given on marriage bonds and allegations should be treated with caution – where an exact age is given it is likely to be correct, to the best of that person’s knowledge. Where it states they were over 21 this gives no indication of an upper age limit, just that they had reached the age of majority. If one of the parties was a minor (under 21) then parental permission was needed for the marriage. Sometimes a marriage bond or allegation is annotated by a parent to the effect that they grant permission.
November 18th 1754
John Ward of Atherstone in the county of Warwick and diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. Yeoman and Batchellor 22 years.
Mary Batchellor of the parish of Warmington, Spinster aged upwards of 25 years (later 28 years).
To be married in Warmington Parish Church.
Bondsman: George Keey of ye parish of Kingtons Warks
Bond £100.
June 15th 1756
Richard Falkner, 26, of Warmington, Baker. Batchelor.
Mary Berry, 22, Spinster, Warmington
Sworn before William Pettypher Vicar of Wormleighton
Bondsman: John Tompkins Husbandman
Bond £100.
November 7th 1756
Thomas Adams, Warmington, 25, Batchellor
Elizabeth Beer (also Beear) Warmington, ‘upwards of 21 years’, Spinster
Bondsman John Fincher of Warmington
Bond £100
October 8th 1759
William Huggins about 32 years, of Warmington Batchellor
Elizabeth Miller about 26 years of Warmington Spinster
Bondsman Jonah Tombs of Warmington
Bond £100.
April 29th 1761
Richard Fox parish of Swackliffe Oxon, 30, Batchelor
Margaret Huggins, Spinster, Warmington aged about 25 years
Bondsman Samuel Huggins of Warmington
Bond £100.
February 20th 1764
John Howkins Batchelor of Warmington 27 years
Hannah Hawtin of Ratley aged about 24 years
Bondsman Thomas Blakeman of Ladbroke
Bond £100.
August 10th 1767
John Archer of Warmington Parish, Batchelor about 30 years
Judith Bloxam of Avon Dasset, Spinster aged about 21 years
Bondsman John Aubrey of Warmington
Bond £100
Witnesses Mary Tomes Thomas Edm(u or a)nds
October 23rd 1770
John Hitchcox Banbury Oxon, aged about 21 years Batchelor
Anne Falkener of Warmington, Spinster aged about 22 years
Bondsman Robert Falkener of Warmington
Bond £100
Witnesses Abraham Classon Eliz Smith
Date sworn June 12th 1771
John Falkner Warmington, Widower (signs as ffalkner)
Susannah Cheney, Warmington, Spinster about 22 years
Bond £100
Witnesses Eliz Williams Mary Jones
Date sworn October 22nd 1774
John Spicer Byfield N’hants Batchelor aged about 30
Mary Winkles Warmington Spinster aged about 25 yrs
Bondsman John Reynolds Bodington ?N’hants
Bond £500
Witnesses Eliza Williams Ann Reynolds
Date Sworn May 16th 1774
William Judd, Warmington, Batchelor aged about 30
Jane Adams, Warmington, Spinster aged about 25
Bondsman John Howkins Warmington
Bond £500
Witnesses Eliza Williams, Ann Green
Date sworn January 6th 1778
Thomas Jessop, Culworth N’hants, Diocese of Peterborough, 26 yrs Batchelor
Elizabeth Robinson, Warmington, 23
Bondsman Tho Robinson Warmington
Bond £500
Witnesses Rose ?Fadwell Richard Cleaver
To be married in Warmington Parish Church
Date sworn January 13th 1778
John Gibbs Avon Dasset Batchelor aged about 23 years (his mark)
Bondsman John Jarrett Warmington
Bond £500
Witnesses Richard Cleaver Rose ?Fadwell
Date sworn October 21st 1778
William Howkins, Warmington Batchelor aged about 26 yrs
Anne Long, Warmington Spinster aged about 22 yrs
Bondsman Alexander Hiron Burton Dasset
Bond £500
Witnesses Rose Dadwell Richard Claverd
Date sworn November 9th 1778
Thomas Mason, Oxhill Warks Widower (his mark)
Hanah Pettipher, Warmington Spinster aged about 30 yrs
Bondsman Richard Gurman Warmington
Bond £500
Witnesses Rose Dadwell Eliza Chandess
Date sworn February 6th 1782
John Roddis, Lighthorne Warks 24 yrs Batchelor
Anne Howkins, Warmington Spinster 30 yrs
Bondsman John Edwards Napton Warks (his mark)
Bond £500
Witness Richard Cleaver
Date sworn May 14th 1785
Thomas Cleaver, Warmington 25 yrs Batchelor
Martha Bradford, Warmington 30 yrs Spinster
Bondsman John Smith Napton Warks (his mark)
Bond £100
Witness T Williams
Date Sworn 26th May 1785
Samuel Wormleighton, Kilsby, Northants Widower
Susannah Falconer, Warmington, widow
Bondsman John Watson, Harbury Warks (his mark)
Bond £100
Witnesses T Williams
Date sworn February 20th 1786
Edward Brownsill, Banbury 30 yrs Batchelor
Hannah Griffin, Warmington 28 yrs
Bondsman John Banks, Southam (his mark)
Bond £100
Witness T Williams
Date sworn October 23rd 1786
John Barnes, Ratley, 22 yrs, Batchelor
Elizabeth Wady, 21 yrs, Warmington Spinster
Bondsman Thomas Wady, Warmington
Bond £100
Witness Tho Williams
Date Sworn February 8th 1793
Joseph Stranks, Warmington, 25, Batchelor Grazier
Elizabeth Huggins, Warmington, 23, Spinster
Bondsman Samuel Huggins, Warmington, Tallow Chandler
Bond £500
Witnesses Mary Morris, Wm Bellamy
Date sworn October 28th 1795
Thomas Norton, Shotswell Farmer 28 yrs Batchelor
Elizabeth Robinson, 21 Warmington
Bondsman Tho Robinson Warmington Farmer
Bond £500
Witnesses (T or J) Gill, John Mason. Bond sworn at Avon Dasset before Rev Gill BA
Date sworn July 21st 1796
Richard Neal, Oxhill, Labourer (his mark), 22, Batchelor
Sarah Walton, Warmington, 24
Bondsman John Hitchcocks, Ratley, Farmer
Bond £500
Witnesses Sworn at Avon Dasset, Rev Gill, Jane Hixon
Date sworn September 17th 1797
William Gough (signs as Thomas) a bachelor and minor of 20 years, consent given by father Thomas Gough of Warmington, Shoemaker
Elizabeth Gregory, also a minor, 18 years, of Warmington
Bondsman John Gregory, her father, of Warmington, labourer (his mark)
Bond £500
Witnesses Rev Gill, Sarah Gill (signed at Avon Dasset)
Date sworn April 2nd 1799
William Claridge, Warmington, Gentleman, Bachelor
Elizabeth Smith Warmington Spinster 21
Bondsman George Smith Warmington Joiner
Bond £500
Witnesses Rev Gill, Sarah Gill (Avon Dassett)
Date Sworn June 25th 1802
Robert Iliffe Long Itchington, Warks, Innkeeper, 21, Bachelor
Elizabeth Hambige Warmington, Spinster, 21
Bondsman Joseph Haddon Yeoman
Bond £500
Witnesses Elizabeth Hall, Mary Sheffill? Sworn at Offchurch
Date Sworn October 28th 1802
John Dace, Warmington, Lawyer, above 21 widower
Mary Key, Warmington, Spinster, 21
Bondsman Leonard Whittlesee, Warmington, Farmer
Bond £500
Witnesses Sworn at Ladbroke, Thos Geldars
Date Sworn September 16th 1803
Thomas Shortland, Lutterworth, Leics, 21yrs, widower, stoking weaver
Elizabeth Payne, Warmington, 21
Bondsman Thomas Washbrooke (his mark) Warmington, labourer
Bond £500
Witnesses Sworn at Napton, Rev Broomfield, vicar of Napton, E Burdit
Date Sworn October 3rd 1803
James How, Warmington, Farmer, 21, batchelor
Mary Bloxam, Warmington, Widow, 21
Bondsman, Anthony Grant, Warmington, Bricklayer (his mark)
Bond £500
Witnesses Sworn at Napton, 3.10.1803 Rev Broomfield, E Burdit
Date Sworn June 8th 1804
William Taylor, Marston St Laurence, Northants. Woolcomber, 21yrs, bachelor
Bride Sarah Taylor (minor) Warmington Spinster
Bondsman John Taylor, Warmington, Farmer (his mark) father of the bride
Bond £500
Witnesses Sworn at Ladbroke John Whittlesee, Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke February 21st 1805
James Padbury of Avon Dasset (his mark) aged 21 and upward, labourer and bachelor
Sarah Jarrett of Warmington, spinster aged 21 and upward
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – John ?Jarver, William Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke May 20th 1807
William Gardner, Adderbury, Oxon Farmer aged 21 and upward, bachelor
Mary Whittlesee, Warmington, Spinster aged 21 and upward
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – John Whittlesee Willm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke January 2nd 1808
Thomas Mearce, Burton Dasset, Labourer aged 21 and upward, bachelor (his mark)
Phoebe Burdon, Warmington, Spinster aged 21 and upward
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – James Letts, Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke October 19th 1808
Ezekiel Judd, Farmer, 21 years and upward, bachelor of Warmington
Elizabeth Owen of Warmington, Spinster aged 21 years and upwards
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – Edward Be(e/a)sly, Willm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke January 16th 1809
William Gough, Warmington, Taylor, aged 21 years and upward, widower
Mary Beesley, Warmington, Spinster 20 years
Bondsman – Wm Beesley
Bond – £500
Witnesses Thos Geldart (clerk) Wm Ashburner
Then also appeared Wm Beesley (farmer) and made oath that he was the natural and lawful father of the said Mary Beesley and was consenting to her
marriage.
Sworn at Ladbroke May 21st 1810
Richard Beesely, of Warmington, Farmer aged 21 years and upward, bachelor
Mary Huggins of Warmington, Spinster, aged 21 years and upward
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – Edward Beesley Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke January 11th 1812
Thomas Langley of Warmington, Grazier/Farmer, aged 21 and upwards, bachelor
Sarah Beesely of Warmington, aged 21 and upwards, spinster
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – Elizabeth Jarver, Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke May 25th 1812
William Beesley, Warmington, Farmer, aged 21 years and upwards, widower
Sarah Obery of Warmington, Spinster aged 21 years and upwards
Bondsman – John Doe
Witnesses – Thomas Langley Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke April 18th 1815
Samuel Borton of Horley, Oxon, Grazier aged 21yrs and upwards, bachelor
Hannah Huggins of Warmington, spinster aged 21 yrs and upwards
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – Richd Beesley, Wm Ashburner
Sworn at Ladbroke October 9th 1820
John Cambray of Warmington, Farmer, aged 21 yrs and upward, Bachelor
Sarah Langley of Warmington, Widow, aged 21 yrs and upward
Bondsman – John Doe
Bond – £500
Witnesses – Robert Quick Willm Ashburner
Sworn at Napton May 16th 1823
Thomas Robinson of Warmington, 21 yrs and upward, bachelor (not widower), Farmer
Elizabeth Edwards of Warmington, Spinster
Bondsman – Richard Robinson
Bond – £100
Witnesses – Rev and Mary Bromfield, Thomas and Richard Robinson
Sworn at Napton November 17th 1823
William Ledbrook/broke of the extraparochial place of Watergall, Warks, bachelor, 21
Mary Plumer of Warmington, aged 20 years
Witnesses – Rev Bromfield
Other – he further made oath that the consent of James Plumer father hath been obtained.
Sworn at Leamington Priors August 16th 1824
Joseph Enock of Combrook, Warks (diocese of Worcs), aged 21 yrs and upward, bachelor
Mary Ann Fessey, Spinster, a minor
Witness – Rev Robert Downer
Other – consented by her lawful father Wm Fessey
Sworn at Napton May 30th 1825
Thomas Stuchbery of Winslow, 21 yrs, Bachelor
Jane Wady, Warmington, 21 years, spinster
Witnesses – vicar of Napton ?Mayfield