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FIRST COUSINS

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Jean Durant

Jean Durant Report 22 Mar 2006 21:33

Does anybody know if it was illegal for first cousins to marry. Jean x.

Horatia

Horatia Report 22 Mar 2006 21:37

I don't think it has ever been illegal but I'm sure someone will put me right if I am wrong. I have several first cousins on my tree who married each other. Cheers, Horatia

Joy

Joy Report 22 Mar 2006 21:38

No, it never has been (as far as I am aware). :-)

Jean Durant

Jean Durant Report 22 Mar 2006 21:41

Thank you Horatia and Joy, I have just discovered my first pair of first cousins marrying and wasn't sure if it was legal. Jean x.

Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 22 Mar 2006 21:44

Jean i found one ancestor marrying his dead wife's sister's daughter...Therefore his Neice. Sounded 'dodgy' but in fact turned out to be perfectly legal. Chris

Researching:
Avatar...My darling Dad. 1931-2019 'Take nothing on its looks, take everything on evidence. There is no better rule' Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. 'A brickwall is a problem that you haven't solved yet' Dave Annal http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/brick-walls-and-lost-ancestors/

Cath

Cath Report 22 Mar 2006 21:50

Jean do a search for thread called 'Was it the norm for cousins to marry in the 1870's' - this has a whole list of who could marry who and when and which marriage acts applied Cath

Jean Durant

Jean Durant Report 22 Mar 2006 22:05

Thank you for your replies. What would I do without this site? Jean :)))

Helen

Helen Report 22 Mar 2006 22:12

I used to work with someone who was married to her cousin and that was only about ten years ago. Must admit though it felt a bit strange when she told us she was expecting....... I never fancied any of my cousins, yuck!

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 22 Mar 2006 23:18

My Grt gran married her cousin in 1893 ,she had been widowed in 1884. He died in 1899 & in 1900 she married his Elder bro!! AND he had been previously married to her younger sister who died in 1899. A real round robin,SO she not only married brothers who were her first cousins ,but her BIL too on the third marriage ,now that wasnt legal then!

Researching:
Surname Fahse. Germany. Essex .South East London My avatar is one of our wedding photos of 1957

Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 22 Mar 2006 23:23

Shirley Just as a matter of interest.... Did that 'interesting' alliance take place in a small community or a 'big' city? Chris

Researching:
Avatar...My darling Dad. 1931-2019 'Take nothing on its looks, take everything on evidence. There is no better rule' Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. 'A brickwall is a problem that you haven't solved yet' Dave Annal http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/brick-walls-and-lost-ancestors/

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 22 Mar 2006 23:44

Chris in Hackney the first cousin she married ,then in Old Ford for the second one.both came under London. I,m surprised the second one when she married her dead sister hubby,wasnt queried by the priest when they married as they both then had the same surname,but it went ahead.

Researching:
Surname Fahse. Germany. Essex .South East London My avatar is one of our wedding photos of 1957

Chris in Sussex

Chris in Sussex Report 23 Mar 2006 00:03

Shirley That fits in with my assumptions re my 'interesting' marriage :) I guess if it had happened in a small community someone (including the Vicar) would have noticed! But when it happened in a big City, I guess the Vicar didn't delve too deep into the Bride and Groom's relationships. They were probably used to marrying a Smith to a Smith, Jones to a Jones, Brown to a Brown ect.... :))) And most of the time there wouldn't have been an obvious direct connection between them, unless the Bride and Groom let on! Chris

Researching:
Avatar...My darling Dad. 1931-2019 'Take nothing on its looks, take everything on evidence. There is no better rule' Charles Dickens, Great Expectations. 'A brickwall is a problem that you haven't solved yet' Dave Annal http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/brick-walls-and-lost-ancestors/

Jeannie

Jeannie Report 23 Mar 2006 07:10

hi jean, it is not illegal for first cousins to marry,my grandad married his cousin in lancashire in abt 1919, but saying that my mother had chest problems all her life which in the end was emphecima ,(sorry for spelling)and the specialist whent mad, said they should not have married, but the royal family have, but if anyone in my family ever do,es i will tell them to get checked out first, regards jean

Racey

Racey Report 23 Mar 2006 11:15

My great Great Grandparents were 1st cousins, they came from a small village called Sherston in Wiltshire but it's strange not many people had a problem with apparently. Sx