Previously published as a three volume set of books, Mark Herber's books have
now been published for the first time on easy-to-use searchable CD-ROM.
Totalling over 400 pages, this CD contains the transcripts of the registers of
clandestine marriages (or 'Fleet marriages') which took place in and around the
Fleet Prison in London between 1678-1754.
Herber describes the fascinating history of these marriages and present
transcripts of eight of the registers and four of the notebooks, which include
marriages (and some baptisms) from 1678-79, 1707-09, 1716-19, 1726-30, 1734 and
1736-54. He also describes the evidence for Fleet marriages contained in
settlement examinations of the poor.
Most people using the Fleet wanted a short legal ceremony without the cost
and delay of banns or marriage licences. But some others wanted secrecy. The
registers are published with the author's explanatory notes, page references for
the original documents held at the National Archives, and an index of places and
of surnames.
High quality scanned images of the whole of each of the original books. This
CD has been bookmarked for easy navigation, and pages can be searched, browsed,
enlarged and printed out if required.
