Married aged 12y??

[lisingreece]

Hi I have a marriage in Sevington of John Wide and Ann Mackney in 1700.

The only Ann Mackney in the local area was born in Ruckinge in 1688. She would have been just over 12yrs if she married John Wide

I only have the Archdeacons as the PRs are in a very poor condition so no extra notes about parents consent if there were any.

Was this possible and have others seen marriages where the girl is so young?

Lis

[Cal241]

"1763 the minimum age of marriage was fixed at 16

Prior to this date, the church accepted the marriage of girls aged 12 or more and boys aged 14 or more. In addition, a dispensation on licence could be obtained from a bishop which allowed marriage at a younger age."

I found this here http://joinermarriageindex.co.uk/history.php

Cal 

[lisingreece]

Thank you Cal and for the link, I will find that very interesting and useful.

So it seems my little Ann Mackney had her first child aged 14y!! poor thing

Thanks again

Lis

[lisingreece]

Also I wonder why she did not marry in her own parish but one about 6 m away.

People must have been very different in those days for it to be allowed that a 12yr old girl could marry.

[Cal241]

You are very welcome
Poor Ann    maybe the parish was Johns Parish and she ran away to be married???

It is inconceivable these days what children went through years back

Cal

[behindthefrogs]

Do you actually have her birth date or are you working from a baptism date?  In the latter case she might have been baptised some years after her birth.

[Hackstaple]

Not uncommon back then. Life expectancies were short.

[lisingreece]

I am working from a baptism date and with her siblings all regularly spaced every 2-3 years there is no room for her to be much older.

There is also no marriage Licence that I can see.

She married in a village close to that of her husband, and there I am stopped as there are 2 John Wides in nearby parishes born within 2 years of each other.

Still I can go back down Ann Mackneys line

Thanks for your in put

Lis

[LynneG08]

Hi Lis, it just happens that I am trying to discover more about this family too.  All I have is that John was born about 1675 and Ann about 1679 and that they married on 22 Oct 1700 at Sevington.  I would really appreciate anything furhter you can share.  My connection is (if my research to date is correct) via their daughter Elizabeth.  I have also been doing a bit of web surfing this afternoon to try to find some background about Sevington - not much on the net - would appreciate any helpful sources that people can point me to.  Regards, Lynne