Hi Cathy and Kaye, I am not sure what restrictions on the age of marriage witnesses existed way back in the dim dark ages but today a witness has to be over the age of 18. This is a legal requirement because the marriage is actually a legal contract and minors cannot be a witness to a legal contact. Obviously, there is a huge difference in the eyes of the law between those being married and the witnesses. A minor is allowed to be married provided the written consent of a parent or guardian is obtained. Once again, the law requires that a parent or guardian must be over the age of 18 although is virtually impossible for a parent to be under that age. I am not familiar with the laws prevailing in the early days of the colony but would suggest that marriage witnesses would have to be over the age of 18 to allow them to sign the register. Cheers, John Caling Canberra -----Original Message----- From: kaye vernon [mailto:kjvernon@bigpond.net.au] Sent: Wednesday, 17 May 2006 6:58 AM To: AUS-NSW-Hunter-Valley-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [HV] Age Limit on being a witness at a wedding? Cathy, I don't believe there is an age limit on witnesses at a marriage Acutally quite often the bride was only 14. I had a gtgt who was only 14 and she married a 35 year old man. Kaye www.bananatv.com/familytreechecklist.htm -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.6/340 - Release Date: 15/05/2006

I also have young (under age) witnesses on wedding certificates. It is important to remember that 18 being "of age" is only a relatively recent phenomenon - previously 21 was the magic age. I have seen many certificates where siblings (often under 21, presumably bridesmaids / best men) have signed. In those earlier days, the wedding was a legal contract certainly, but also seen as a religious event. Some groups varied in who signed the register - Quakers had everyone present at the wedding sign! ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Caling" <acarina@actewagl.net.au> To: <AUS-NSW-Hunter-Valley-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 8:42 AM Subject: RE: [HV] Age Limit on being a witness at a wedding? > Hi Cathy and Kaye, > > I am not sure what restrictions on the age of marriage witnesses existed > way > back in the dim dark ages but today a witness has to be over the age of > 18. > This is a legal requirement because the marriage is actually a legal > contract and minors cannot be a witness to a legal contact. > > Obviously, there is a huge difference in the eyes of the law between those > being married and the witnesses. A minor is allowed to be married provided > the written consent of a parent or guardian is obtained. Once again, the > law > requires that a parent or guardian must be over the age of 18 although is > virtually impossible for a parent to be under that age. > > I am not familiar with the laws prevailing in the early days of the colony > but would suggest that marriage witnesses would have to be over the age of > 18 to allow them to sign the register. > > Cheers, > > John Caling > Canberra > > > -----Original Message----- > From: kaye vernon [mailto:kjvernon@bigpond.net.au] > Sent: Wednesday, 17 May 2006 6:58 AM > To: AUS-NSW-Hunter-Valley-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [HV] Age Limit on being a witness at a wedding? > > Cathy, > I don't believe there is an age limit on witnesses at a marriage Acutally > quite often the bride was only 14. I had a gtgt who was only 14 and she > married a 35 year old man. > Kaye > www.bananatv.com/familytreechecklist.htm > > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.6/340 - Release Date: 15/05/2006 > > > ______________________________