Married at home

Hermy

Just last night I came across a newspaper notice of a marriage of 1848 which took place at the home of the brides father, Michael Hope of Clondilever House [various spellings].
I haven't come across this before and I'm wondering is there any likely reason why a marriage would have taken place at home rather than in a church.

pinkypinky

I came across a case of this in Cork in the 1870s. Having consulted some other more experienced genealogists, the most likely reason was one of the parents of the bride, at whose home the wedding took place, was an invalid or very ill, and would be unable to go to a church. The bride herself being sick was also mooted but in this case, she lived another 50 odd years, so it was less likely.

Hermy

In my case the bride died in 1864 so perhaps she was unwell herself.

The Chieftain

Hermy wrote: »

Just last night I came across a newspaper notice of a marriage of 1848 which took place at the home of the brides father, Michael Hope of Clondilever House [various spellings].
I haven't come across this before and I'm wondering is there any likely reason why a marriage would have taken place at home rather than in a church.

Depends what affiliation you are talking about. If CofE&I, then this would be unusual, and would have required special licenceto be valid. Less unusual the more affluent the parties. If Catholic, however, then this was the norm before some very ill-defined point in the first half of the 19th century. Hard to tell from the surviving records when the transition to having Catholic marriages performed in churches occurred.

P. Breathnach

Wealthy family? Own church/oratory?

Hermy

My side were of Ballintry House, Co. Meath and the bride was of the aforementioned Clondilever House so presumably neither family were on the breadline. The Hope family are new to me so a bit more digging may provide a clue. The four children known to have been born to them were baptised in the catholic church in Dunboyne.

The Chieftain

Hermy wrote: »

My side were of Ballintry House, Co. Meath and the bride was of the aforementioned Clondilever House so presumably neither family were on the breadline. The Hope family are new to me so a bit more digging may provide a clue. The four children known to have been born to them were baptised in the catholic church in Dunboyne.

Just to provide some further detail on the legal situation. In 1848, the provisions of the 1844 Marriages (Ireland) Act applied. See
http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/View?path=Browse/Legislation%20(by%20date)&active=yes&mno=4047
- If CofE&I, then could be married out of church, but only by special license.
- If Presbyterian, then marriage had to be in meeting house.
- If Catholic, could be anywhere, anytime (the preceding situation, which was maintained).

(It was Section 45 of the 1844 Marriage Act which again made it a felony for Catholic priests to perform mixed marriages).

tabbey

Prior to the synod of Thurles, c1849, it is probable that most RC marriages took place in the Bride's family home or some other house. However, we cannot quantify this as there was rarely a note on the register, and no civil record which would record the church.

It was Paul, Cardinal Cullen, who required the RC clergy to perform marriages in a church, as a general rule.