At what age could couples marry in England in the 18th century?

Jack Flash

Up until as recently as 1929 the law in England (and Wales) still allowed boys as young as 14 and girls as young as 12 to be legally married. This had been the case for many years previously although Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753 required the consent of parents or guardians to be obtained before a marriage could take place in such circumstances. Source: Ancestral Trails by Mark D Herber. Jan 30 02, 2:25 AM

Wiggy Jr

Under Lord Hardwicke's marriage act in 1753, the law was changed so that anyone under twenty one had to have the consent of guardians or parents, but there was no lower age limit. It also had to be celebrated in church and an entry had to be made in the parish register and signed by both parties. The law was introduced to in response to agitation on the part of the nobility, who were alarmed at the ease with which young heiresses could be trapped in indissoluble marriages, and have their money stolen! I've just studied this for my history course, but the source I used was Belinda Meteyard, 'Illigitimacy and marriage in the eighteenth century', Journal of Interdisciplinary history, X:3 (1980) Jan 31 02, 7:50 PM

Senior Moments

Senior Moments says: I found the same ages as Jack Flash - Not all divorce acts in Parliament went the way of the couples requirements. Sir George Downing failed in 1715 to get his marriage disolved on the grounds of non-consumation and the youth of the parties at marriage (15 years). It failed because both parties were over the legal age of consent, he over 14 and she over 12, when they married. Tue Jan 29 20:27:13 CST 2002 Senior Moments Error says: Whoops, i forgot to add the source - http://freespace.virgin.net/owston.tj/divorce.htm Tue Jan 29 20:29:03 CST 2002 (As one entry - McG) May 25 03, 1:45 PM

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