Clandestine marriages were secret or informal weddings performed in England and Wales prior to 1754 without proper church banns, official licenses, or authorised clergy.
Popularised in areas like London’s Fleet Prison, these low-cost ceremonies ended when the Clandestine Marriages Act 1753 made them legally void.
Why People Used Them
- Avoided high fees of formal weddings
- Bypassed the need for parental consent for minors
- Allowed quick, secret unions without waiting for banns
- Covered up pre-marital pregnancies or avoided social scrutiny