Brief description
Catherine and Charles Dickens's marriage licence, 29 March 1836
Label
This marriage licence was issued to Dickens and his new wife Catherine Hogarth. Catherine was still a minor (she was 20, the age of consent for marriage was 21) so was married with the consent of her father, George Hogarth. This license is signed by John Moore, Registrar 29 March 1836. The official stamp on the document dates 23 March 1836. They were married a few days later on Easter Saturday, 2 April, in Catherine's parish - St. Luke's in Chelsea.
Collection
Archives & Manuscripts
Object number
AA1
Object type
marriage licence
Production date
29/06/1836
Inscription content
WILLIAM, by Divine Providence, Archbishop of CANTERBURY, Primate of all ENGLAND and Metropolitan. To our well-beloved in CHRIST,

John Huffam Charles Dickens of Furnivals Inn in the County of Middlesex Bachelor and Catherine X Hogarth of the Parish of Saint Luke Chelsea in the same County a Spinster a Minor

GRACE and HEALTH, WHEREAS ye are, as it is alleged, resolved to proceed to the Solemnization of true and lawful Matrimony
with the Consent of Geroge Hogarth the natural and lawful father of the said Minor.

and that you greatly desire that the same may be solemnized in the Face of the Church: We being willing that these your honest Desires may the more speedily obtain a due Effect, and to the end therefore that this Marriage may be publicly and lawfully solemnized in the Parish Church of

Saint Luke Chelsea aforesaid

by the RECTOR, VICAR, or CURATE thereof, without the Publication of Proclamation of the Banns of Matrimony, provided there shall appear no Impediment of Kindred of Alliance, or of any other lawful Cause, nor any Suit commenced in any Ecclesiastial Court, to bar or hinder the Proceeding of the said Matrimony, according to the Tenor of this Licence: And likewise, That the Celebration of this Marriage be had and done publicly in - the aforesaid Church - between the Hours of Eight and Twelve in the Forenoon. We, for lawful Causes, graciously grant this our Licence and Faculty, as well to you the Parties contracting, as to the RECTOR, VICAR, CURATE, or MINISTER, of - the aforesaid Parish - who is designed to solemnize the Marriage between you, in the Manner and Form above specified, according to the Rites of the Book of Common Prayer, set forth for that Purpose, by the Authority of Parliament.

GIVEN under the Seal of our VICAR GENERAL, this Twenty-ninth Day of March - in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-six, and in the Eight Year of our Translation.

John Moore

Registrar
Credit line
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AA1, 1947.553