What are Marriage Banns and how can I use them in my research? There are three dates listed on my third great grandfather's 1825 Church of England Parish Register of marriages: Oct 23, Oct 30, and Nov 6 !London Metropolitan Archives, All Saints, Poplar, Register of marriages, P88/ALL1, Item 025. _All Saints, Tower Hamlets, London, England_ _Source Citation: London Metropolitan Archives, All Saints, Poplar, Register of marriages, P88/ALL1, Item 025_ **How do I determine the actual date of his marriage?** **And what do these three dates refer to?** > _The transcription of my relative's entry is as follows: > Charles James Sanderson of this Parish Bachelor > Eliza Wills of the same Spinster > Minister: J A Wood_

Marriage banns are an announcement of an intended marriage. In some times and places and religions the banns had to be "published" one or more times before the marriage could occur. The purpose of the banns was to allow anyone with objections or anyone believing there were impediments to the marriage to come forward. There were waiting periods associated with the banns.

This record shows three bann publication dates per marriage. The dates are all one week apart. These banns were probably announcements made during church service (these dates are all Sundays). I think the word on the third line in the first record is "Republished". It looks like the third line on the others is "M" which must mean "marriage." If that is true then persons could be (and often were!) married on the third publication date.

I think it's a safe assumption that your ancestors were married on Sunday, November 6, 1825.