Cradle Snatcher

[topjars]

I have a 2nd Great Great Grand Uncle who married at the age of 66 to a 30 year year old woman.
The marriage certificate states "Of full age" for both and the GGU was a bachelor servant whilst his wife was a spinster.

Was this age difference marriage common?

It occurred in St Merryn in 1876.
Both were listed as Farm Servants in census records and the GGU died the following year (1887)
Did he wear himself out or was the union a strategic coupling??
Interested in your thoughts.

[Lesley Robertson]

I've seen it a few times in my One Place Study, most often where a man has been left with young children and marries a 30-ish spinster (often a cousin), but the situation you describe isn't rare. Older man, possibly with some savings, marries a spinster (or a widow with young kids) and gains a carer for his declining years. She loses the "spinster" tag and gains a home...

They were much more pragmatic about age and relationships, I think. I have one old man (well off for the area) who listed the young woman living in his house as "domestic servant" twice on the census. It was only when he died and her parents inherited that I realized that she was his grand daughter!

We can't judge them (in most cases) - they lived by different customs and even laws. Just accept, and try and work out what it tells us of their circumstances - no NHS and medics were expensive, no pension unless the employer provided one, tied housing provided with the job, etc... If your guy was 66, he was facing becoming homeless when he couldn't work any longer, as a farm servant she was entitled to a cottage, etc, etc.

It's not very romantic, but still possibly a good basis for a decent marriage.

[topjars]

Thankyou for your reply Leslie.