Boyd's index of pre-1837 marriages in Cambridgeshire omitted some marriages in a number of parishes. This resulted from the use of bishop's transcripts rather than parish registers, which were not then readily available. In 1989 members of the Cambridgeshire Family History Society compiled an index for the period 1626-75, for which there had been no separate Cambridgeshire index. This included marriages from parish registers to which Boyd would not have had access.

An index of marriages missing from Boyd in the period 1754-1837 was compiled in August 2012. The present index aims to include marriages missing from Boyd and from the CFHS supplement in the period 1538-1753.

Most of the marriages here listed are taken from parish registers where bishop's transcripts were incomplete. Although the period 1626-75 had been covered by CFHS, several Cambridgeshire parishes in the Deanery of Fordham had been omitted and are included here for this period as well as for other periods.

One parish, Welney, had been omitted by Boyd, though not by CFHS. This may be because it lay partly in Norfolk.

An additional source, unknown to Boyd and CFHS, is the marriages registered before 1754 in some colleges of the University of Cambridge. These were transcribed and indexed in 1999 by Mrs. Eve Logan of the Cambridge University Heraldic & Genealogical Society. Most were marriages by licence, so an attempt has been made to correct defective entries by reference to the registers of marriage licences in the Diocesan Records in Cambridge University Library. Not all marriages by licence seem to have a relevant licence in these registers, but it has been possible to add extra information and corrections (distinguished by italic type in the entries for marriages in Cambridge colleges). Mrs. Logan in her transcript indicated a number of doubtful readings in the originals which she used. Many such marriages were recorded at Jesus College, so her transcript has been compared with the originals at the College and various emendations have been possible. The Jesus College register extends to one marriage in March 1754.

As in the supplement compiled for marriages, 1754-1837, the opportunity has been taken to correct a few errors in Boyd's index and in transcripts by Phillimore and Evelyn Young.

My thanks are due to Mrs. Sarah Steggles of the Bury Record Office, to the staff of Cambridge University Library manuscript department and to Robert Athol, acting Jesus College archivist, for their help in making their records available.

Michael Farrar
January 2013


Abbreviations used:
bac. bachelor
sp. spinster
wid. widow/widower
lic. licence
The abbreviation "lic." is entered after the wife's name. It should be noted that "sp. lic.", does not indicate a marriage by special licence.
Italic type is used, as explained, for additions from licence registers, but is also used to distinguish other editorial additions or suggestions.

Details of the parishes etc. included with the years covered and the number of entries for each are as follows:

To fill gaps in Bishop's transcripts (except 1626-75)
223 Bassingbourn 1558-98
24 Brinkley 1688, 1696-1704, 1714-6, 1723-1726, 1729
53 Burrough Green 1586-1602, 1681-1697, 1704, 1714-21
66 Camps, Shudy 1560-1603, 1700-1701, 1711-9
3 Carlton 1712, 1714-5
13 Chettisham 1700-49
97 Dullingham 1558-96
14 Foxton 1695, 1698-9, 1707, 1710, 1715-6, 1721-2, 1727, 1732, 1752-3
23 Hildersham 1561-98
113 Ickleton 1559-95, 1601, 1678-9, 1719-20, 1722-3
63 Meldreth 1681-2, 1684-1701, 1703-10
24 Pampisford 1584-98, 1601, 1702, 1708, 1714-7, 1720-1, 1751
104 Shepreth 1559, 1566-8, 1575-98, 1601-2, 1676-7, 1687, 1691-5, 1697-9, 1701-2, 1704
107 Steeple Morden 1677, 1685-1719, 1741-2, 1745, 1747, 1752
8 Thetford 1682, 1688, 1695-6, 1701, 1753
20 Thriplow 1599-1602, 1680, 1686, 1691-3, 1696, 1698, 1700, 1714, 1716-9, 1722
25 Westley Waterless 1559-96
41 Weston Colville 1714, 1716, 1721, 1723, 1752-3
132 Gt. Wilbraham 1561-1601, 1681-6, 1696, 1715, 1718-1721, 1735-6, 1740 1, 1753
103 Lt. Wilbraham 1538-98, 1601, 1620, 1679-1683, 1688-1710, 1714-6, 1720-1, 1730-3, 1750-2
39 West Wratting 1601, 1676, 1701, 1713-23, 1735


Corrections of Boyd
3 Foxton 1702, 1703, 1749
1 Horseheath 1698
2 Thetford 1695-6

To correct errors in Phillimore's transcript
24 Cambridge Botolph 1570-1745
1 Horseheath 1576

To correct Evelyn Young
1 Cherryhinton 1570
2 Haddenham 1579, 1695
1 Hinxton 1616
1 Horseheath 1714

Extra Bishop's Transcripts
1 Bartlow 1672
8 Cambridge St. Andrew the Less 1679
1 Chesterton 1614
5 Swavesey 1602, 1612
2 Wisbech St. Mary 1677

Fordham Deanery Bishop's Transcripts (including 1626-75)
127 Ashley 1563-1632, 1671-1746
28 Burwell 1578-92, 1641
6 Chippenham 1567-8
176 Kennett 1567-76, 1582, 1590-4, 1606, 1612-24, 1631, 1663, 1679-1753
28 Kirtling 1570-1586
4 Landwade 1638-9
72 Newmarket 1568-1638, 1679-83
36 Snailwell 1576-1629

Parish omitted by Boyd (except 1654-75)
151 Welney 1677-94, 1703-1753



Cambridge Colleges
111 Corpus Christ 1719-53
33 Emmanuel 1736-53
511 Jesus 1695-1754
15 King's 1710-21
1 Magdalene 1703
140 Queens' 1723-53
6 St. Catharine's 1734-52
47 Sidney Sussex 1729-51
2 Trinity 1708, 1716

1754-1800

Boyd's marriage index for Cambridgeshire down to 1837 does not include for many parishes marriages later than 1753, This index aims to fill that gap.
There are gaps in Boyd's index for ten parishes caused by use of bishop's transcripts rather than parish registers and missing entries for those parishes have been included.
The opportunity has also been taken to correct a few errors in Boyd's index and in Phillimore's transcripts as well as to add marriages from extra bishop's transcripts for Rampton.
Details of the parishes included with the years covered and the number of entries for each are as follows:

82 Ashley 1754-1800
368 Bassingbourn 1754-1800
177 Wood Ditton 1754-1800
356 Downham 1754-1800
355 Elm 1754-1800
89 Ely St. Mary 1754-16 May 1763 (from BTs)
360 Ely St. Mary 1 June 1763-1800 (from register)
1107 Ely Trinity 1754-1800
104 Foxton 1754-1800
332 Haddenham 1766-1800
additions/corrections 1757, 1760-1762, 1764
143 Ickleton 1754-1800
155 Kirtling 1754-1800
174 Meldreth 1754-1800
151 Steeple Morden 1754-1800
177 Sawston 1754-1800
102 Shepreth 1751-1800
61 Snailwell 1754-1800
707 Soham 1754-1800
103 Thriplow 1754-1800
23 Toft 1781-1800
205 Welney 1751-1800
1722 Whittlesey 1754-1800
128 Great Wilbraham 1754-1800
58 Little Wilbraham 1754-1800
18 Wilburton 1782-1786, 1788-1789, 1797-1800 from BTs (register lost)
2079 Wisbech St. Peter 1754-1800
117 Witchford 1754-1800 (BTs supplemented by register)

Filling gaps in Bishop's transcripts
4 Chettisham 1768, 1773, 1792, 1797
2 Coveney 1765, 1790
10 Hildersham 1794, 1796-1800
59 Histon 1755, 1767-1768, 1774, 1782-1787, 1790-1799
7 Horseheath 1776-1778, 1792
10 Linton 1793
24 Littleport 1769, 1776, 1782, 1784
62 Meldreth 1682-1710
3 Pampisford 1785, 1789
45 Toft 1757-1759, 1761-1777

Correction of Boyd
1 Histon 1758
2 Horseheath 1789, 1792
1 Pampisford 1762

Correction of errors in Phillimore's transcripts
1 Cambridge Botolph 1766
1 Croxton 1809
29 Histon 1754-1790, 1800

Extra Bishop's Transcripts
23 Rampton 1754, 1756, 1757, 1759, 1764, 1771, 1780-1789, 1795, 1798, 1799, 1800