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Author Topic: Legal age to be witness-- Complete  (Read 920 times)

Offline Branching out

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Legal age to be witness-- Complete
« on: Monday 11 June 12 01:23 BST (UK) »
I have received a couple certificates and need some advise. The witness or person in attendance of a death, do they have to be of legal age. The death took place in 1865 and the person present at the time of death could be a brother of similar age (75) or a grandson of 16. Which do you think it might be? They both had the same name.

Thanks
Rodney

Offline Redroger

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Re: Legal age to be witness
« Reply #1 on: Monday 11 June 12 11:59 BST (UK) »
So far as I am aware there was no legal minimum age to be a witness, I have seen family marriage records where the witness is known to be around 12-14 years old. In the case of death certificates, thinking about the circumstances it is not possible to stipulate a legal minimum age, as it is quite likely in the case of accident or sudden death that the only person present at the time is a minor. Having said all that I think in your circumstances it is more likely to have been the brother.
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Offline Rena

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Re: Legal age to be witness
« Reply #2 on: Monday 11 June 12 12:24 BST (UK) »
Back in the 1870s my grandfather then aged 15 signed as "witness present at the time of death" when his 12 year old younger brother died.
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Offline Branching out

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Re: Legal age to be witness
« Reply #3 on: Monday 11 June 12 14:56 BST (UK) »
Thanks for the reply everyone! There is more to this inquiry as I have not been able to find either person (in this case name of witness was William ) prior to the death.
I may post another inquiry to follow up on this.
Thanks
Rodney
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