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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Topic started by: kob3203 on Monday 13 January 25 05:57 GMT (UK)
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This obviously indicates that the bride/groom was below a certain age, but what exact age range would the term minor mean ?
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Under 21 years
Usually would require a parent's permission.
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Thank you. What about the lowest age at which a minor could get married in Ireland in 1946 ? Was it 16, 17, or something else ?
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Thank you. What about the lowest age at which a minor could get married in Ireland in 1946 ? Was it 16, 17, or something else ?
Depends on sex.
Groom 14
Bride 12
https://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/Reports/rAgeOfMajority.htm (https://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/Reports/rAgeOfMajority.htm)
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Here is a link to one of many threads re legal age for Marriage.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=822013.0
Just to add that the legal age for marriage remained at 14 for boys and 12 for girls in the Republic of Ireland, until 1st January 1975, when it was raised to 16.
From time immemorial the age for matrimonial consent was fixed at 7 years, but puberty was accepted as the age for consummation of the marriage, which was 12 for girls and 14 for boys.
In England and Wales the figures for marriage below the age of 16 from 1846 to when the 1929 Act came into effect are only 35 males and 1,844 females.
Stan
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Thanks. So although theoretically 12-21 for a girl and 14-21 for a boy, in reality it's more likely to be 16-21 for both.
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Thanks. So although theoretically 12-21 for a girl and 14-21 for a boy, in reality it's more likely to be 16-21 for both.
Much more likely to be 18-20 for both. 21 was age of majority.
In my own families, I only know of one marriage where the bride was 16, and that was in the 1700s