Consent of the congregation

[Kit]

I've come across a few marriages in parish registers which say : X and Y were "married in this Church by Banns with consent of the congregation this (date) ...."

In the case I'm looking at now I believe the father is dead (or maybe done a runner) but the mother is definitely alive. Actually the whole page has the saying for the marriages. Why would this be?

[kiterunner]

Maybe the person filling it in just thought that bit always had to be filled in?

[Merry]

I agree with Kate - the banns are read to the congregation - no one complains, so they have consented.

[Kit]

Thanks Kite and Merry.

I've not seen it before. The minister must have had time on his hands on that page as I've since checked other pages and he didn't always put that in or crossed out the consent part altogether.