Age a women could marry in 1750

[gratuation]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me with this query . I hadn’t taken much notice of my ancestors age of marriage until now, but when I worked it out she was only 13 . This can’t be correct can it ? She was born in 1742 married in 1755 . Any help appreciated
G

[stanmapstone]

The legal age for marriage was 12 for girls and 14 for boys until the 1929 Age of Marriage Act which made all marriages carried out from 10 May 1929, void if either partner was under the age of 16.

Stan

[gratuation]

Thank you Stan , oh my goodness that’s quite shocking . I thought I must have had the wrong marriage entry .
Many thanks
G

[Alexander.]

It is my understanding that although not illegal, marriages at such a young age were extremely rare. I think you probably have the wrong birth or marriage record.

Alexander

[River Tyne Lass]

Apparently, the age of consent from 13 to 16 was brought about after the capaigning work of William Thomas Stead.   He later died on the Titanic.

Shocking that this was so young!

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=808226.54

I mentioned him on a Totally Off Topic thread - post 58 on 'Volume 15 of the Good Read Thread'.  He was quite an amazing and heroic man.

[Guy Etchells]

It is my understanding that although not illegal, marriages at such a young age were extremely rare. I think you probably have the wrong birth or marriage record.

Alexander

The extremely rare marriages were those of children under 7 years old which were in reality more betrothals rather than what we would term a marriage. Marriage between 12 and 16 though not common did happen, so don't dismiss them out of hand, just treat with caution.
One mistake is to confuse a baptism with a birth,
Cheers
Guy

[stanmapstone]

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

[ThrelfallYorky]

And don't forget, quite a lot of people - not just Baptists - were baptised quite a few years after birth, which can add to confusion.

[chris_49]

This thread:

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=779104.0

recounts an instance of a 14-year old marrying as late as 1926, which had many (including me) disbelieving.

And she wasn't even pregnant - there's posh for you!