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Richard Rennison (29 October 1889 – 5 August 1969) was the last "anvil priest" at Gretna Green, Scotland.Between 1926 and 1940, he performed "irregular marriages" of couples over the anvil at the Old Blacksmith Shop, where the couple proclaimed that they were single and wanted to get married in front of witnesses.
An irregular marriage could result from mutual agreement, by a public promise followed by consummation, or by cohabitation with habit and repute. [12] All but the last of these were abolished by the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939, from 1 July 1940. Prior to this act, any citizen was able to witness a public promise.
An 1844 depiction of a "Gretna wedding", complete with a blacksmith and some of his implements. 1930s photo of the village blacksmiths, "famous for its runaway marriages" Scottish law allowed for "irregular marriages", meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony.
The Clandestine Marriages Act 1753, also called the Marriage Act 1753, long title "An Act for the Better Preventing of Clandestine Marriage", popularly known as Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act (26 Geo. 2. c. 33), was the first statutory legislation in England and Wales to require a formal ceremony of marriage. It came into force on 25 March 1754.
Common-law marriage, also known as sui juris marriage, informal marriage, marriage by habit and repute, or marriage in fact is a form of irregular marriage that survives only in seven U.S. states and the District of Columbia along with some provisions of military law; plus two other states that recognize domestic common law marriage after the fact for limited purposes.
A Fleet marriage was a common example of an irregular or a clandestine marriage [1] taking place in England before the Marriage Act 1753 came into force on March 25, 1754. Specifically, it was one which took place in London 's Fleet Prison or its environs during the 17th and, especially, the early 18th century.
Marriages were often the subject of careful negotiation, particularly higher in society. [36] Marriage lost its sacramental status at the Reformation, and irregular marriage, a simple public promise or mutual agreement, followed by consummation, or cohabitation, continued to be accepted as valid throughout the period.
There are two types of recognised marriage in Scotland, informal and formal. Both are equally valid under Scots law but, as of 4 May 2006, only formal marriages can now be contracted in Scotland. Before the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939, Scots law, following the principles of canon law, recognised three types