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Archiver > GENBRIT > 2002-01 > 1010036461


From: "Stephen Hayes" <>
Subject: Minimum Age for Witnesses to Marriage?
Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2002 05:26:52
References: <3C317AE9.833E2FE1@virgin.net>


FamilyNet Newsgate

Guy Etchells wrote in a message to All:

GE> From: (Guy Etchells)

GE> In essence it goes back to the ancient church view of the age of
GE> marriage and that a child of 7 could make a rational decision as to
GE> whether they wished to marry or not.
GE> Logic tells us if a child of 7 and occasionally less than 7 was old
GE> enough to decide whether to marry then they were old enough to
GE> witness another's marriage.
GE> Incedentaly this church age of marriage did not change in England,
GE> Wales & Scotland until 1929 and in Ireland until 1975.

I don't think children of 7 were ever allowed to marry in the UK.

Maybe in India, which was the jewel of the Empire.

The minimum age of marriage was 14 for boys and 12 for girls, and those under
21 needed the consent of their parents, which is why in many marriage registers
the age of the parties is given as "full", implying that they did not need such
consent.

I think that has been changed recently, but in the time most of us are looking
for marriages it would probably have applied.

Keep well

Steve Hayes
WWW: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/steve.htm
E-mail:

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