under age marriage without parental consent

[Glynnis]

My great grandmother, Elizabeth Francis (Cardiff) and great grandfather,  Samuel James Salmon (Somerset), married in the Parish church of Llanelly, nr Crickhowell, Brecon in 1885. The witnesses were not family members and I am sure she eloped to get married. However she was 19 at the time. Is it possible that she could have married without parental consent?

[ambers]

Many of mine did, although by the time of the next census they tell the truth.

One was only sixteen when she married in another Parish not far from her home in 1910, in the census three months later she also tells the truth.

None of the underage ones had close family as Witnesses, with the exception of one who had her parents consent..

Ambers

[Glynnis]

the marriage certificate says she was 19, so does that mean she couldn't have lied?

[osprey]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,382947.0.html

have a look at reply 5 on here.

[Glynnis]

so she could have said there was no-one to give her permission rather than lying about her age?

[osprey]

she may have said whatever she thought she could get away with. The system is informant led and she didn't have to prove anything.

 

[Glynnis]

Thanks Osprey and Amber, sounds like it was very common then, and easy. Cheers both.