Odd Snippets The Ilfracombe Chronicle, 2 Oct 1886 Charge against a Clergyman

Charge against a Clergyman

The Rev. John H L BATEMAN, vicar of Haile, has been prosecuted by the Treasury at Whitehaven Police-court, for inserting or permitted to be inserted  in the register of marriages at Haile a certain false entry relating to a marriage.  Mr HODGSON, Carlisle, prosecuted for the Treasury;  Mr  PICKERING, Whitehaven, defended.  A fortnight ago BATEMAN was committed for  trial at the assizes on a charge of solemnising matrimony between Robert LITTLE  and Mary Jane COCKBAIN, of Egremont, without licence or certificate, without due  publication of banns, and without the consent of LITTLE's parents, he being a  minor.  A second charge was adjourned, notice being served upon defendant  to produce the marriage register.  The marriage register was not  forthcoming.  A certified record of the marriage from the Registrar-General  was put in, showing the marriage had ben solemnised after publication of  banns.  Evidence having been given by a witness who was at the marriage  that Mr BATEMAN made the entries in the marriage register, the magistrate  committed the defendant for trial, bail being accepted, defendant in £200, and  one surety in £200. ------------------------------------- Transcribed by Carol Saul - August 2007 More on this story in The Times articles