Was full age always full age

[Max2121]

Thank you, can anyone else see a possible Mary Morrison that fit's the bill? If you look at the Colligan family in the 1901 census there is a 15 year old daughter Belinda and Mary's age is down as 30.

[Kiltaglassan]

Thank you, can anyone else see a possible Mary Morrison that fit's the bill? If you look at the Colligan family in the 1901 census there is a 15 year old daughter Belinda and Mary's age is down as 30.

Link to the 1901 census-
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Sligo/Ballymote/Newtown_Street/1679481/

Daughter down as Belenda, but she may have been registered as Kate in 1886.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02592/1957710.pdf

[Max2121]

Thank you Kiltaglassan, so can you see the problem with Mary's age there and the confusion with the marriage record?

[iluleah]

Age was 'given' information so they didn't have to prove with a certificate their age when marrying although unlikely a girl of 11/12 could pass themselves off as 10 years older  especially if the marriage was locally to where they lived, so it is more likely you are looking at another person of same/simular names baptism/birth record, possibly a cousin or aunt the same family grouping.

I would check all census prior and after marriage, then try to follow the 11/12 yr old, but also go back a generation to see if an aunt or cousin was named the same name given that you see a family name connection.

[Max2121]

The census with my grandmother has her mum's (Mary Morrison) year of birth as one at 1865 (1911 census) and one at 1871 (1901 census) so even going by the 1865 one she would still be very young when she married Michael Colligan also that birth record of 1867 is between the two
I will however check and see if I can see another Mary Morrison but so far she is the only one.
I do appreciate your time everyone

[RJ_Paton]

Technically marriage at that age was legal (although considered rare). Basically anyone who had reached the age of puberty was eligible to marry - this was considered 12 for girls and 14 for boys.

It wasn't until 1929 in the UK that the Age of Marriage Act raised the age to 16 (Northern Ireland's equivalent Act did not come into place until 1951)

In Ireland itself the equivalent legislation was not passed until 1972
http://www.maggieblanck.com/Mayopages/Customs.html

[Maiden Stone]

I am looking into my great grandmother she married my great grandfather in 1879 but the only birth record I can find has her born in 1867

The latest year she could have been born was 1858 if she was full age (21 or over) in 1879. Birth registrations didn't begin until 1864.
The only source which may have information about her birth is a baptism register.
A relative of mine was born 1863/4, according to her age on 1911 census. She lived and died in the place she was born. Her birth wasn't registered so I assume she was born before start of birth registration. There is no surviving record of her baptism.

[Erhie]

The census with my grandmother has her mum's (Mary Morrison) year of birth as one at 1865 (1911 census) and one at 1871 (1901 census) so even going by the 1865 one she would still be very young when she married Michael Colligan also that birth record of 1867 is between the two
I will however check and see if I can see another Mary Morrison but so far she is the only one.
I do appreciate your time everyone

  You could also consider the fact that with the state pension introduced about 1908/9, people mysteriously gained a few years in the 1911 census.

[Max2121]

I am looking into my great grandmother she married my great grandfather in 1879 but the only birth record I can find has her born in 1867

The latest year she could have been born was 1858 if she was full age (21 or over) in 1879. Birth registrations didn't begin until 1864.
The only source which may have information about her birth is a baptism register.
A relative of mine was born 1863/4, according to her age on 1911 census. She lived and died in the place she was born. Her birth wasn't registered so I assume she was born before start of birth registration. There is no surviving record of her baptism.

The 2 available census have her as born either 1865 or 1871 so they do kind of support the birth year of 1867. Is it possible that the marriage record is inaccurate with her down as full age instead of minor?