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Legal age to marry

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Robert

Robert Report 12 Jun 2007 13:42

on my GT,GT Grandfathers wedding cert 1867 under age it has what appears to be full. I have his birth cert from 1851 so does this mean full means 16 his wife is also classed as full.Also on the marrige cert it says his fathers name was John yet on the birth cert it says William. William does seem to tie in with the cencus returns so were they getting married underage and what was the legal age to marry

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 12 Jun 2007 13:46

No Full age meant 21 and over Minor was under 21. People did lie though. sometimes cos they didnt have consent or sometimes to adjust their age cos the partner thought they older/younger Girls could marry from aged 12 ,and Boys 14 ,with parental consent. Are you sure you have the right cert?? Shirley

Sandra

Sandra Report 12 Jun 2007 13:47

Hi from a bad memory i think boys had to be 14 & girls were 12 for a long period of time in the 1700 - 1800's , it changed to 18 in the early 1900's but with permission age 16. Full age was also given even if someone was 50 so it is still just a guide. & doesn't been they were the early legal age sandra

Mhairi Queen of Scots

Mhairi Queen of Scots Report 12 Jun 2007 13:48

Full age was 21 (they didnt need parents permission) so under age would be anything under that. I'm not sure if only girls needed permission to marry under 21 or if it was boys as well. It was the reason that many eloped to Gretna Green as in Scotland you could (and still can) get married at 16 without parental consent. Mhairi

Robert

Robert Report 12 Jun 2007 13:51

Thanks for your replies so would they have told little fibs ie false fathers name to say they were 21 and the father would not be present

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 12 Jun 2007 14:15

well there would have been no need to lie about the fathers name if the groom said he was 21. I dont think they were asked to prove their age anyway. If they were marrying in their home parish the chances are they were known in the church anyway. I,m stlll wondering if you have the right certs either the marriage or the birth cert,