Genealogy Chat

in this months FTM there is a record of a divorce that took place in 1561 Leigh (probably Little leigh) near Northwich between Adam Pilkington and Isabel Birom who married at 5 and 6 years old , it seems there are also records of other divorces between people who were married young. Isnt that awful poor kids .

Just goes to show how things were different back then. How old when they got married? Must have had an argument over who had to play Catholic and Protestant.

they were 5 and 6 when they married doesnt say how old when they divorced it seems there were a lot of arranged marriages in this country between mainly wealthy people's children

So thats why I ended up with an Irish nav vi!!!! Born too late...story of my life :-(( ;-) lol

Valerie These were known as 'Imperfect marriages'. I was not aware that these needed divorce to dissolve them! The few I have seen were undone by a dissolution of the Marriage Agreement, both sides (parents) signing a document to say that they agreed to a 'breach of contract' - because that is in effect what these imperfect marriages were. Interesting. Olde Crone

I dont know about that I would have hated the good old days it sounds like they had horrendous lives, It must have been strange to be married so young, I wonder how old the youngest mother was ???

hi old Crone I would agree with you but it does say the divorce proceedings took place in that village at that time , I actually did not realise you could divorce that many years ago.

I think many of these marriages were alliances for financial and political reasons. I don't think the couples would have lived together and probably the main reason for getting divorced/annulling the marriage was non-consumation. nell

I suppose that is a good thing isnt it , who wants to be married so young .It also says that some of the early court church papers are available for research on film at the LDS Family history centres or diocesan record offices

They were called Imperfect marriages, because the children would not actually go through a marriage ceremony until they were of age - 12 and 14. The 'marriage' was a betrothal, and although there would be a betrothal ceremony in the Church, it would be attended by proxies, or very rarely, the children. They did not live together as man and wife, although often the girl would be sent to live with his parents so that she could learn her new family's ways - and so the new family could get their hands on her Dowry! Of course, this was only for the landed gentry and the aristocracy and it was purely a business arrangement. The idea of marrying for love is a very modern one - an elderly researcher told me that God's only blessing on the poor was that they were free to marry for love! Olde Crone

thanks for that old crone something else I have learnt ,

nudge