Wife 20 Years Older Than Husband?

[david64]

Thanks all for the interesting tales. Certainly gives me more confidence in this connection. It was that the wife was the one c. 20 years older that I thought was the problem. If it was the husband, I don't think I'd have given it a 2nd thought.

To add to the tales. I have found in India that women tended to marry very young. Examples:

1918 - husband aged 38, wife age 16
1873 - husband aged 24, wife aged 14 and several months pregnant at the time of marriage
1829 - husband 35, wife 16
1841 - husband 21, wife 14
1813 - husband 20, wife 16
1796 - husband unknown, wife 13

I think this is in part due to the low life expectancy. Many couples in my tree didn't make it out of their 30s. I'm not sure what happened to all these parent-less children.  Unfortunatley there was no census in India.

[mlrfn448]

Just wanted to add, that my Grt Grandmother married secondly a man 20 years her junior.

She lied about her age on her marriage certificate, tho I assume her 2nd husband probably knew her true age.
In fact, all the original marriage certs were kept in the family, and when I showed them to my father he was most surprised.
(he had not realised she lied about her age)

The certs clearly showed first marriage 1875 age 30 and her second marriage in 1889 aged 35. her second husband was 26.

My father then said, well a widow with young children, she really had to remarry else she would have faced destitution.
But when I asked why the younger husband married older widow, he replied that she was supposed to have been quite beautiful when young, and then produced a photo!!

Sadly her second husband died young.

What I have learned is that all things are possible!
Regards

[Cas (stallc)]

Very true, enjoyed the tales folks lol

Cas

[Windsor87]

My Gran was born in 1939 - her second husband in 1960. She always says that an older woman gets stick for marrying a younger man, but nothing is said if its the other way round.

Incidently, her father was born in 1915 and he married his second wife who was born in 1931. His eldest daughter, born 1936, apparently wasn't best pleased.

The newest age gap in the family is modest. My sister's husband is 9 years older than she is, but she is a second wife. His daughter from his previous marriage is expecting her first child which means my sister will become a step-grandmother at age 27. If my sister has children now, it means they will be born an aunt or uncle (not entirely uncommon).

[janan]

Hi Steve

Welcome to Rootschat 

Congratulations on your marriage and wishing you many happy years together

jan

And to add my own family tree tales...

Half siblings born 46 years apart eldest 1795, youngest 1841 - William Griffin born 1841 was 7yrs younger than his youngest aunt Ann born 1836, his father was 75 and his mother early 30's.

Also a marriage where husband was 35 years older than wife - William Allsop born 1797 married for the first time to Hannah Noon age 15 in 1842.

[Redroger]

My grandfather b1828, married 1) 1853, no known children 2) 1894 2 children, my father (b1899) and his sister (b1895) Despite many attempts I have been unable to find that he had any children with his first wife; I suspect I have now exhausted the possibilities and have to resign myself to not having an aunt or uncle b c1854.

[Sandgroper]

I have a friend whose son married a woman 20 years older than himself. She is the same age as my friend (her mother-in-inlaw). They have been together for 10 years and I think she may be feeling a little insecure as she now thinks the botox isn't enough and has decided on a full facelift!  . Modern times, I suppose.