Marriage Act 1836

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The Act for Marriages in England 1836, 6 & 7 Wm IV, c. 85 (17 August 1836) was an Act that legalised civil marriage in England and Wales from 1 January 1837.[1]

Since the Marriage Act 1753, the only legally recognised marriages in England and Wales had been those performed by the Church of England, Jews and Quakers. This meant that Roman Catholics and members of other Christian congregations, as well as atheists, Muslims, Hindus and members of any other religious body, had to be married according to (the Anglican) rites and ceremonies which they did not support, and by a priest who they believed had no authority. If they did not do so, they had no legal rights as married people. Roman Catholic priests often recommended that their parishioners be married in the Roman Church but then have their marriage legalised in an Anglican parish church. When asked why he recommended this, one priest "declared glomily that almost every day the wife of an Irish labourer was deserted by her husband and could get no redress".[2]

The Marriage Act 1836 allowed marriages to be legally registered in buildings belonging to other religious groups. Religious groups could apply for registration for their buildings with the Registrar General and subsequently could conduct weddings if a Registrar and two witnesses were present.



  3. ^ "Triennial Visitation Of The Bishop Of Exeter". The Times. London: The Times. 13 October 1836. p. 3.