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Youngest age at marriage

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  • Youngest age at marriage

    I have heard this but was always a bit sceptical about the youngest age a girl could marry in England.

    Whilst searching through some local papers for someone from the site I saw an announcement in the births for a girl who was "delivered of a fine baby son, she was only married last summer at the age of 13 years 4 months" !!!!!

    This was in 1812 in case anyone is wondering!!

    So it definitely pays to search for marriages further back than you may think as it appears it was certainly possible in those days to marry at such a tender age!

    Poor girl, I did feel sorry for her though!

    Joanie

  • #2
    I think the youngest I have was a 15-year-old girl in Australia, about 1860.

    I was surprised at how many of my English people didn't marry till their thirties.

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    • #3
      Youngest I have is 15. But most of my rellies got married in their mid-20s to early 30s. I assume folk married later because they couldn't afford it.

      Husband's Welsh ancestors had more children and tended to get married earlier, in their late teens/early 20s, generally when the bride was pregnant or had alread had a child or two . Not sure if this is because they were less abstinent or less willing to use contraception!
      ~ with love from Little Nell~
      Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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      • #4
        In the 1700s I have a 13 year old girl marrying a 14 year old boy - she was pregnant! Their birthdates were given in the baptism register.

        I think it must have been a love match, as both were from comfortably-off farming families who could (and frequently did!) absorb an illegitimate child, rather than force an unwelcome marriage.

        OC

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        • #5
          Until 1929 the ecclesiastical law and civil law were at odds with regards to the age people could marry.
          The civil law set an age of 16 but church law allowed marriages at any age the person was old enough to understand what was taking place.
          This meant children as young as 7 and even 5 were married though it was expected that they would not consumate the marriage until they were older.
          Cheers
          Guy
          Guy passed away October 2022

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          • #6
            Youngest I have is my paternal GGFx3 who was 16 but claimed to be 19 at the marriage. The girl was 18 and delivered a baby the following month!

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            • #7
              g.g.grandma was 12.......................

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              • #8
                Gosh. I am just thinking about what I was like when I was 12 - I wasn't even developed! Certainly not able - or ready - to have a baby!

                Husband's gt gt grandmother was 16 when she married in 1846 and I think that was plenty young enough. She had all of her 5 children by the age of 36, I hadn't had any!
                ~ with love from Little Nell~
                Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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