Genealogy Chat

Alter - father's daughter could be a half sister rather than full sister.... I wonder what proportion of the marriages celebrated were not actually legal for the reasons mentioned? Merry

Why did they list sister followed by fathers daughter???? Arent they the same?

Just fine and dandy (see wonderful lists above) - hubby's family is FULL of cousin marriages! Then the children of the first cousin marriages married children of other first cousin marriages and all the parents were related by blood too (more cousins), etc etc Hubby APPEARS to be relatively (lol) normal, but ......... Aaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - who is that - Mr Hyde????? Merry!

Copied and pasted from Genuki: Consanguinity is basically 'how close are you related?'. Laws to prevent consanguinity (in other words, 'don't marry your sister'), have been passed down from ancient times. The Marriage Act 1949 as amended by the Marriage (Enabling) Act 1960 establishes this list: generally, uncles may not marry nieces, nor aunts their nephews first cousins may wed and a woman may marry her husband's brother, uncle or nephew if her marrige has ended by death or divorce. Many Americans may be surprised to hear that first cousins may marry, because it is forbidden in many American states, as well as other parts of the world. The Marriage Act of 1986 (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) makes further provision for the marriage of persons related by infinity (or marriage). The reason for these prohibitions is, firstly, public policy, and secondly, the genetic risk. Here is the list as it appeared in a Church of England Book of Common Prayer: A Man may not marry his: A Woman may not marry her: Mother Daughter Father's mother Mother's mother Son's daughter Daughter's daughter Sister Father's daughter Mother's daughter Wife's mother Wife's daughter Father's wife Son's wife Father's father's wife Mother's father's wife Wife's father's mother Wife's mother's mother Wife's son's daughter Wife's daughter's daughter Son's son's wife Daughter's son's wife Father's sister Mother's sister Brother's daughter Sister's daughter Father Son Father's father Mother's father Son's son Daughter's son Brother Father's son Mother's son Husband's father Husband's son Mother's husband Daughter's husband Father's mother's husband Mother's mother's husband Husband's father's father Husband's mother's father Husband's son's son Husband's daughter's son Son's daughter's husband Daughter's daughter's husband Father's brother Mother's brother Brother's son Sister's son What was it like in Medieval times? According to Ancestral Trails, by Mark D Herber, these were the 'prohibited degrees' of marriage, according to the Book of Common Prayer, 1662: brother or sister (or their spouse) parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, child, or grandchild (or their spouse) niece or nephew (or their spouse) spouse's child, grandchild, parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent.

I can remember back in the 60's (1960's) when 2 cousins who lived down our Road married each other. It was the talk of the neighbourhood. Amongs the elderly it was frowned upon because it was belived it affected the children of the marriage - healthwise. Reminds me a bit like dog breeding - if either side has a fault you dont breed from them or the fault will be passed along the line.!!! Sorry, thats just my sick sense of humour, but i can see where they were coming from. maureen

Queen Victoria married her 1st cousin Albert in 1840. As far as I know, 1st cousins have always been allowed to marry. My gt-grandparents were 1st cousins - they married in 1899. Richard

Can anyone tell me if 1st cousins could marry in 1877 please? Many thanks, Heidi