Legal marriage age 1767

[Canadian Goose]

Hi,
Have a marriage entry from 1767.  Not sure of the bride's birth date, estimated at 1750.  Groom was born in 1703.  The entry shows married by license with consent of parents.  Understand the full age for marriage was 12 or 14? If that were true she shouldn't have needed consent, or was much younger than 17 and the presumed birth date is wrong. This brings me to my next question, why would a young girl of approximately 17 years marry a man of 64?  He died 43 days after the marriage.  Trying to get some perspective on this union.

Thank you.

Judy

[youngtug]

Although marriage was legal at 12 for girls you still needed parental consent under 21 years of age after the 1753 marriage act;  No marriage of a person under the age of 21 was valid without the consent of parents or guardians. Clergymen who disobeyed the law were liable for 14 years transportation.

[Canadian Goose]

young tug, thank you.  I didn't realize that consent was needed under 21.  Have a number of entries where they only state full age or with consent of parents.

[Jebber]

Consent was needed if you were 21 until about 1970 when the age was lowered to 18.

My husband and I both had to have parental consent in 1961.

[majm]

young tug, thank you.  I didn't realize that consent was needed under 21.  Have a number of entries where they only state full age or with consent of parents.

Consent was needed if you were 21 until about 1970 when the age was lowered to 18.

My husband and I both had to have parental consent in 1961.

  Consent is needed, no matter what the age of either the bride or groom.   

  So where they are old enough to give their own consent to marrying, they show their consent by signing or otherwise making their mark.   

  So they need to be of full age, I.e. no longer of a minor age, to be old enough to give their own consent to marrying,  BUT if not yet of full age, ie not yet having reached majority, then IF marrying, they need a responsible person to provide that consent to marry, on their behalf. 

So if under age,  they sign etc,  and the officiating minister or civil official ought to also record the consenting detail.


 JM

[majm]

Re 1767 and the age discrepancy between bride (a minor,)  and groom, at age 64 (an elderly person in that era) ... he died 43 days after marriage. 

May I suggest you seek out how his deceased estate was distributed, as that may give you the explanation.

Hi,
Have a marriage entry from 1767.  Not sure of the bride's birth date, estimated at 1750.  Groom was born in 1703.  The entry shows married by license with consent of parents.  Understand the full age for marriage was 12 or 14? If that were true she shouldn't have needed consent, or was much younger than 17 and the presumed birth date is wrong.

This brings me to my next question, why would a young girl of approximately 17 years marry a man of 64?  He died 43 days after the marriage.  Trying to get some perspective on this union.

Thank you.

Judy

[Canadian Goose]

Jebber, thank you, very similar rules to Canada.

[Canadian Goose]

Thank you majm. The entry only says married by license with parents consent. The bride and groom both signed and I believe the bride’s father was a witness. Assume that met any legal requirements. The bride remarried in 1772 with no mention of consent so I will assume her estimated birthdate is close.

I do have the first husband’s will. It is 9 pages of extremely cramped writing and illegible in spots. Will have to tackle it in hopes of some insight.

Thank you again.

Judy

[majm]

Thank you majm. The entry only says married by license with parents consent. The bride and groom both signed and I believe the bride’s father was a witness. Assume that met any legal requirements. The bride remarried in 1772 with no mention of consent so I will assume her estimated birthdate is close.

I do have the first husband’s will. It is 9 pages of extremely cramped writing and illegible in spots. Will have to tackle it in hopes of some insight.

Thank you again.

Judy

She may have reached 21 years of age by the time she next  married, HOWEVER,  because she was a widow, she was entitled to give her own consent because of her status as a widow. 

JM