Methodist Marriages

[Durham Lady]

Can someone tell me is it is correct people of the Methodist religion were not allowed to marry in their own Church in the early days of the movement being formed?
If this is correct when were marriages allowed?

[Phoenix]

I would have thought 1837, when restrictions were relaxed.

[Shona]

From 1754 to 1837, Hardwicke's Marriage Act meant that marriages had to be solemnised in a Church of England parish - Quakers and Jews were exempted, I think. From 1 July 1837, Methodist Chapels could be licensed for marriages.

[Olde Crone]

Even now, you can only marry in a Methodist chapel if that place is licenced to perform marriages. (This applies to all nonconformist places of worship).

OC

[Durham Lady]

Thank you all so much, I thought I was correct re the Hardwicke's Act and licensing of Methodist Churches but someone "who is always correct to their way of thinking" disagreed with me which made me query myself.

[Merry]

Even now, you can only marry in a Methodist chapel if that place is licenced to perform marriages. (This applies to all nonconformist places of worship).

OC

And also, if the non-conformist minister isn't registered to perform marriages there will need to be a registrar in attendance for the marriage to be legal. Church of England clergy are automatically entitled to perform marriages after ordination.

[Durham Lady]

And also, if the non-conformist minister isn't registered to perform marriages there will need to be a registrar in attendance for the marriage to be legal. Church of England clergy are automatically entitled to perform marriages after ordination.

Ah, yes I remember that now you mention it Merry. A girl I worked with in the 60's was RC and she said they had to fit her Church wedding around the registrar's timetable as he was to conduct a civil ceremony in the vestry after the priest had performed the ceremony in Church. I know it took ages for them to come back out of the vestry. Those of us from the hospital who were not RC were asked to sit at the back of the Church when we arrived too!

[Uncle John]

And also, if the non-conformist minister isn't registered to perform marriages there will need to be a registrar in attendance for the marriage to be legal. Church of England clergy are automatically entitled to perform marriages after ordination.

You've missed an important bit out, Merry. The minister has to be authorised to perform marriages in that church. Because Methodist ministers move around (not nearly as often nowadays), the Circuit Steward has to make sure that the necessary paperwork is done at the local Register Office when the new minister takes over. If the couple want to be married by a "favourite" minister, the "local" minister has to perform the legal bit of the ceremony, and it's the local minister who completes the marriage register.

As far as I know, for weddings at secular premises (e.g. hotels, country houses) the registrar has to be present.

[Durham Lady]

So what you are saying Uncle John is, it's the minister and not the actual Church building that is registered for marriages?

[Merry]

So what you are saying Uncle John is, it's the minister and not the actual Church building that is registered for marriages?

I should think it's both.

I left that other bit out because I didn't know it!

[Olde Crone]

There are three types of person who can perform a legal marriage ceremony.

Any C of E minister, regardless of where he is.
Any Registrar
Any Authorised Person - this means a minister of a nonconformist religion who is authorised to perform marriages at a given venue only. As UJ says, the ability to perform a marriage goes with the person at a place and does not necessarily move with them, unlike a C of E minister.

I am not sure what the position is re the RC church - I think their priests have to be Authorised persons, otherwise the Registrar must attend.

(Jewish marriages and Quaker marriages have their own rules but I am sure they are performed by Authorised persons and a record of the marriage has to be returned to the Register Office).

OC