97 marriage banns called at Christ Church, West Hartlepool, but not married here. In most cases, the couple married elsewhere, but there were 4 instances where we could not find a subsequent marriage in the GRO marriage index, so we wonder if they never completed the marriage process (but lived together as if married) or if they changed their minds and did not stay together.

Samples of banns:

• 1894 George Forder (bachelor), of W. Hartlepool & Caroline Wedgewood (spinster.), of W. Hartlepool, banns called 22 Jul.29 Jul, 5 Aug, [no marriage date entered]
  [Note: Groom is called George Forden Thorpe in GRO index.]
• 1897 Joseph Tose (bachelor), of W. Hartlepool & Mary Elizabeth Calvert (spinster), of Whitby, banns called 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 25 Apr, certificate given Apr 26 1897

Sometimes, when you cannot find a marriage for a couple, they may have not completed the marriage process, so their marriage was not recorded in the marriage register – or the clerk may have forgotten to record it. In those cases, the banns register may be the only record of the marriage. The banns can be used to verify the mother’s maiden surname against the birth records of their children or to find out where each party lived at the time of their marriage. If they did not have children, the banns may be the only record of the woman’s maiden surname.