Lowther marriage...was this legal??

[adicol]

Hi all,

I have found the birth for my great, great grandmother.
Her name was Polly Lowther and she was born in Stokesley, in 1893.
I have found her marriage tomy great grandfather, John Newby Stephenson, in 1904.
That means she was only 11, nearly 12...was this legal???
I can not find any other info on either of them on the censuses, but i know they got married in Easington, County Durham.

Can anyone advise me how the hell they got married when she was so young!!!??? and also of I can trace them around the census time.

Kind Regards,

Colleen

[sillgen]

Have you got the marriage certificate?  That seems to be the first step.  It will confirm her age and also give her father's name.   Polly was often a nickname - she could have been Mary for instance - so unless you are sure you have the right birth I should take it one step at a time and work back from facts that you are sure of.   That will help with the census too as you can look for them in 1901 once you know how old they were.
Andrea

[oly]

Hello Colleen

The answer to your question is, with parental consent, 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl at the time you are researching. Ages in marriage are always open to a judicial tweaking to suit the circumstances
Peruse this document its quite interesting and if you are keen on family history you will find it useful.


                      http://www.dixons.clara.co.uk/Certificates/marriages.htm

Regards Oly

[adicol]

Thanks to you both for the info.
However, the Polly I found marrying my g g grandfather, was infact not the same Polly born in 1893, an error on my part, as I had found her birth, but failed to notice, the same person died in her first month.
Back to the drawing board!
Although what was said about Polly being a nickname for Mary has intrigued me, as the Polly Lowther I found marrying my grandfather, can not be found anywhere.
I have checked census info, BMD info, and can find nothing.
I wonder if she was a Mary.
I will definately have to investigate this!!

Regards,

Col

[coffers]

These days , I'm guessing the same goes for back then, Polly is often a nickname for Pauline.

[adicol]

Can I just ask, would she have been allowed to use Polly on her marriage cert then?
Or would she have had to use Pauline?

[sillgen]

If the priest did not know her she could use any name she liked!      It is interesting that if you put Polly Lowther into the IGI search it comes up with dozens of Marys.   I have daughter called Pauline - should have thought of that one.    It was not very common at that time though - nor popular today as she is constantly telling me!
Andrea

[adicol]

Lol, tell he neither is my name.
I will have to dig about for this, because the whole family knew her as polly...how do i find her birth cert if i dont know her real name!!!

[Pels.]

Hi Coleen,

Sorry to butt in, but this is interesting.
I have also had to look up an 'Aunt Polly', as it happened she turned out to be a MaryAnn, but she could have just as easily been a Maria!
More confusion for you - sorry!

Pels