Marriage age

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Profile	Posted by	Options	Post Date
Member Since: August 2004 Posts: 170 Send Message	Bridie	Report	16 Apr 2005 21:48
Member Since: August 2004 Posts: 170 Send Message	'of full age' that's all the clue I got from the marriage certificate received today for my husband's great grandparents in 1873 so I've looked at the 1871 census to see if it yields any clues and the bride turns out to be 10 years old in 1871 - so I discounted her. But yes! 12 was the age limit for girls and 14 for boys in those days & it looks like her parents were the witnesses too. Totally staggered. I'd read that people got married young in those days but that's not young - it's still nappies!
Member Since: November 2003 Posts: 28 347 Send Message	KathleenBell	Report	16 Apr 2005 21:54
	'Of full age' usually means over 21, which meant that they did NOT need parent's permission. Are you certain you've got the right people in 1871 census. What age are they on the 1881 census? Kath. x
Member Since: November 2003 Posts: 1 461 Send Message	Judith	Report	16 Apr 2005 21:58
	Yes they could marry at a very young age with parents' consent but 'of full age' meant old enough to marry without consent so unless your bride was lying (which seems strange if parents were witnesses) she must have been 21 or older.