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I appear to have a 13 year old marrying on my tree. I realise that I may have missed some information, wrong DOB or something, perhaps baptised late.. Catharine Branton of Bideford in Devon marrying Roger Williams of Little Torrington. I have her baptised May 1757, him Feb 1745. The marriage takes place 22 Nov 1770 in Abbotsham. Are my facts right ? I can't find another Catharine Branton...

Google ‘legal marriage age in England’. All info freely available

I have, a lot of confusing, conflicting information.

This may be the marriage of the Bideford Catherine. Her father, John was one of the witnesses.

Devon Marriages And Banns


First name(s) Katherine
Last name Branton
Banns year 1777
Marriage year 1777
Marriage date 19 Mar 1777
Parish Bideford
Spouse's first name William
Spouse's last name Slader
Residence Bideford
Spouse's residence North Molton
County Devon
Denomination Anglican
Country England
Archive reference 799A/PR/1/12
Archive South West Heritage Trust



First name(s) Cathrine
Last name Branton
Birth year -
Baptism year 1757
Baptism date 19 May 1757
Father's first name(s) John
Mother's first name(s) Elisabeth
Mother's last name -
Baptism place Bideford
Denomination Anglican
County Devon
Country England
Archive South West Heritage Trust
Archive reference 799A/PR/1/5


Possible death.

Devon Burials

First name(s) Catharine
Last name Slader
Age 39
Birth year 1757
Death year 1796
Burial year 1796
Burial date 10 Apr 1796
Denomination Anglican
Burial place Northam & Appledore
County Devon
Country England
Archive South West Heritage Trust
Archive reference 1843A/PR/1/12

could have been born earlier and not baptised till older

From the early middle ages, girls could get married from the age of just 12 - and boys could be 14. That became important when the law changed in England in the 18th century. Under the 1753 Marriage Act, anyone under 21 needed their parental permission to wed.

With parental permission it was legal for a girl of 12 or a boy of 14 to marry in England right up to 1927 - although very few actually did.

Kath. x

Thanks all. Perhaps there were two Catherine Brantons..If that was her marriage i could be looking for another baptism.

Death/burial of husband:

Roger Williams
in the Web: Global, Gravestone Photograph Index, 1265-2014
Name: Roger Williams
Birth Year: 1746
Burial Year: 1818
Burial Place: Devon, England, Abbotsham
Death Age: 72
Cemetery: St Helen (pt 2)

Baptism of son:

Roger Williams
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Roger Williams
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 29 Oct 1786
Baptism Place: Abbotsham,Devon,England
Father: Roger Williams
Mother: Catharine
FHL Film Number: 916798


Photo of Catharine's gravestone here:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/170693288/catherine-williams

Died 1834, aged 82, therefore born c1752.
"Relict of Roger Williams of this Parish . . . . "

.Catharine Williams
in the Web: Global, Gravestone Photograph Index, 1265-2014
Name: Catharine Williams
Birth Year: 1752
Burial Year: 1834
Burial Place: Devon, England, Abbotsham
Death Age: 82
Cemetery: St Helen (pt 2


That makes her 18 at marriage, assuming the age people thought she was when she died is correct.

Vaguely possible marriage of parents?
Huntshaw is about 7 miles from Abbotsham.

John Branton
in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
Name: John Branton
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 19 Nov 1751
Marriage Place: Huntshaw,Devon,England
Spouse: Elizabeth Chapman
FHL Film Number: 917150


Baptisms of other children with parents John & Elizabeth/Elisabeth,
BUT the Bideford children could be a different family:

Elizabeth, 8/4/1753, Huntshaw. Probably married John Slader in Bideford in 1772.
Sarah, 25/11/1763, Bideford.
Mary, 1/1/1768, Bideford.
Joseph, 3/8/1768, Bideford.
Christian (female), 29/6/1770, Bideford.

The Catherine who was baptised in 1757 MIGHT be this woman -


Cath. Branton
in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
Name: Cath. Branton
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 19 Mar 1777
Marriage Place: Bideford,Devon,England
Spouse: Willm. Slader
FHL Film Number: 916812, 916813


EDIT:
Oh, I see that's already posted by Alviegal.

Why assume she was baptized before her 1st birthday? - I know that's usually the case, but if she were baptized when she was 21, she'ld probably be older than her spouse.

Using https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/
I happened to have a set of 1864 baptisms open, so I searched for "184" and got:

Baptism: 25 May 1864 Christ Church, Ince, Lancs.
Rebecca Alker Marsh - [Child] of Arthur Marsh & Ann
Born: 16 Dec 1842
Abode: Pemberton
Occupation: Joiner
Baptised by: Thos. F. Fergie Inct.
Register: Baptisms 1864 - 1879, Page 5, Entry 36
Source: Original Register at Wigan Archives