Bridal pregnancies?

[sylvia (canada)]

I would image that this was quite a common occurrence during the war years.
Carol

It was quite to very common for hundreds of years! Especially in some areas.

Many brides were pregnant, sometimes far advanced, when they got married in faming communities, for example. It seems that even children born to a previous liaison were welcomed by many parents of sons in farming families. Why? Because it showed that the bride was fecund, and there would be children to look after the grandparents later in life.

Many of OH's ancestors from farming and milling families married brides who were at least 2 months pregnant, and often 5 or more months.

There was also the practice of "bundling" in which a courting or engaged couple were allowed to get together under covers in a box bed or corner of the living area. They weren't supposed to go "so far", but ..........

Female servants often found themselves pregnant by the master or son of a family, from all classes. Not very many married the man. If there wasn't much money, the girl would just be cast off. If the man was more wealthy, the lords of the manor, etc, then she may be sent away with money OR a marriage arranged with someone indebted to the "lord".

I honestly don't believe that the war made things any more common, especially theWW1 and WW2. Except of course for those poor souls were raped by occupying armies.

[coombs]

Also the more marriages I find in my tree, again, around 40% of the of the brides were pregnant when they wed, maybe a month to almost 9 months pregnant, going by the date of birth of the child. Just reiterates how huuuuuugely common bridal pregnancy was.

I found a new marriage in my tree in Suffolk in October 1809 and the bride was about 4 months pregnant at the time. Her first husband had died in March 1807.

[AntonyMMM]

This is really cutting it fine .....(from a distant branch of my family)

Married 22nd May 1869, baby born (and baptised) 23rd May 1869

[coombs]

My great grandfather's brother wed on the 4th May 1913 and their eldest was born on the 5th May 1913.