age at first marriage

[SantaT]

I'm looking at dates for various (Leitrim) men I'm trying to track, and finding that a couple seemed to have married very early --  at least under 20, (1801)  and one of them maybe under 18.  One man was a widower with three children in 1825; couldn't have been born [always assuming I have the right parents and their correct marriage date] before 1802.   I always thought that marriage age was later than that -- does anyone have any ideas/knowledge about this?

[Jim I]

I believe that marriageable age in earlier times could be as young as 14.

I always thought, based on my own family and various neighbours, that men tended to marry in their 40s to women in their 20s or 30s.  But when I started my reseqrches back in the 19th century I found I was quite wrong.  Many folk do seem to have married in their late teens or very early 20s.

I believe, on reflection, that the 'marrying late' syndrome was a particular characteristic of the 1920's to the 1960s.

[SantaT]

Thanks -- glad to have another's view on this. 

Santa

[fifer1947]

Gosh I married at 16 .............. legally and in the 60's!    So not so very long ago and yes the same applies in Scotland today.

[scotmum]

OS Memoirs from the 1830-1840 period can often make for interesting reading on many matters, including that of marrying age in various areas.

14yr olds marrying, and not out of necessity, was not unheard of, especially in rural areas.

Volume 40 covers Leitrim:

OS Memoirs, 1834-8: South Ulster - Cavan Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo (Vol 40)