Page 160 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

Should such Rolls survive you
gist with regard to inquiries about
a man who followed a particular may well be in a position to learn
much of your earlier ancestors, and
craft or trade.
may even succeed in tracing them,
even though they were only humble
folk, for a couple of hundred years
back before the start of Parish
-
Renisters.
M
Mrprriage by Licence - Marriage has
often becn by ' banns', which is a
Malaya - Records of births and notice of intention to marry, called
deaths in the States of Penang and out three times during Sunday xr-
Malacca date from 1869 and 1870 vices in the Parish Church in which
respectively. Those of the old the bride and bridegroom resided.
Federated States date back to 1894 If for some reason or other the
(in Selangor) while those of the old parties concerned wished to dis-
unfederated States were onIy corn- pense with this requirement they
menced between 1915 and 1.930. could do so by being married by
Marriage records are held by the licence. An occasion of this sort
Registrar of Marriages. Birhs and rnight arise if the couple wanted to
be marrie. in a hurry and at one
Deaths in each state.
stage in history it became a status
Mslta - Registration dates from symbol to be married by licence.
1863 and the records are retained
There were rnany types of licence:
in tbe Public Registry of either if the couple both lived in the same
Malta or Gozo. Applications should diocese it could be obtained €rom
be addressed to the Director of the the bishop of that diocese but if
Public Registry of Malta or Gozo. they resided jn different dioceses it
Earlier records are kept by the was necessary to obtain the licence
parish churches.
€rom the archbishop's office. If they
lived in two ecclesiastical provinces
Manor Court Rolls - These rolls it was necessary to apply to the
are to a great extent still privately Master of Faculties of the Arch-
owned and apart from the diaiculty bishop of Canterbury.
Useful information is contained
of tracing their ownership, chances
of their surviving at al1 is nor great. in what are known as the Allega-
However, any such Manor Court tions. These were statements made
Rolls in existence have to be regis- by the bride and bridegroom, to-
zered with: gether with bonds, whicfi were
assurances by the bondsmen and
The Historical M.S.S. Commission. were retained in the diocesan
Manorial Documents Registry, register.
Quality House. A number of marriage licences
Quality Court, have been published by the Har-
Chancery hne, Ieian Society and other bodies and
London W.C.2. the Society of Genealogists has
many Manuscript copies.
There is legislation today which
guards against their destruction or Manritius - Records date from
sale overseas. 1712. Prior to 1793 they are held by
147