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From: Guy Etchells <>
Subject: A Woman's Proof of Age
Date: Sun, 07 Oct 2001 08:48:02 +0100


It rather depends on what you mean by prove her age, for what?

Inheritance, marriage?

A woman (child) could marry as young as 7 years old and even younger
they simply had to show that they understood the implications of their
actions, though the church viewed these marriages as imperfect until
consummated at puberty.
In 1653 the age of consent in civil law was set as 16 for males and 14
for females though the church still recognized marriages of younger
couples.
It was not until 1929 (England, Wales & Scotland) and 1975 Republic of
Ireland that church law changed the age of consent to 16 the same as
civil law.
Cheers
Guy

--
Wakefield England

http://freespace.virgin.net/guy.etchells Transcripts, Parish
Records, Calendar, Scaleable Map of Uk. Link to LDS website,
Abbreviations, Returns of Owners of Lands etc. etc.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/dh/ Whitefield
Transcripts, Etch/ells Transcripts
http://gye.future.easyspace.com Worldwide Cemetery Links, Monumental
Inscriptions, War Graves, etc.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/CHURCH/church.htm
Churches & MIs. in the Wakefield Area
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/Ossett/obmi1.htm
Transcripts of 1st Baptist Burial ground, Ossett
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/tmi.htm Photos of
St. James Churchyard, Wakefield
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/stcr/stjsc1.htm
M.Is. in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Staincross


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