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Age for informants?

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  • Age for informants?

    I've just been looking at the death record for one of my relatives who died in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal on 10 April 1902. This was also the date of her elder sister's 13th birthday. Just less than a month later, the elder sister registered her death.
    I've never come across such a young informant before. Has anyone else come across anything like this? I suppose I had always assumed there was a minimum age for informants but obviously not, judging by this case at least...
    Thanks,
    Christine
    Last edited by Karamazov; 25-10-19, 13:59.
    Researching:
    HOEY (Fermanagh, other Ulster counties and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) BANNIGAN and FOX (Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ireland and Portland, Maine, USA) REYNOLDS, McSHEA, PATTERSON and GOAN (Corker and Creevy, Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ireland) DYER (Belfast and Ballymacarrett) SLEVIN and TIMONEY (Fermanagh) BARNETT (Ballagh, Tyrone and Strangford, Down)

  • #2
    A question which has been asked before, the general opinion having been that there was no legally recognised minimum age. Although 13 seems very young now, at that time children could leave school at 13, or even 12 if they were going into labouring employment. So a 13 year old from a working class family had already entered the world of employment and adult responsibility.

    Jay
    Janet in Yorkshire



    Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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    • #3
      An informant or witness has to be old enough to understand what it is they are informing or witnessing, so 13 does not seem too young. In 1902 a 12 year old girl could marry with the consent of her father.

      OC

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      • #4
        I did a registration only a few years ago with a 14yr old informant. There is no stated limit - the important thing is that the registrar is satisfied that they meet one of the legal qualifications, and possibly that there is no better qualified informant available.
        Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
        Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

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