ODD WEDDING NOTICES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 22 February 1941, Page 2

ODD WEDDING NOTICES

Mrs Grundy has declared that May shall not wed December without incurring her severe displeasure. When such a marriage took place it was usually recorded in some such way as this: “22 August (1782). At Rath, Capt. Hamilton, aged 30, to Mrs Monson, a lady of rank and fortune. aged 85." There could scarcely be a greater distance between the ages of a married couple than 80 years, so we may copy the record that in February, 1769, there was "married Robert Judge, Esq., of Cooksburgh, Ireland, aged 95, to Miss Annie Nugent, aged 15. He served in King William’s war, and received a ball in his nose.” Particulars of height, as well also as of age, fortune, and length of courtship, were often given. "December (1775). At York. Mr I Thomas, a Grenadier in the Yorkshire j Militia, 6 feet 2 inches high, to Miss Hannah Tenniek, of Clearlam, 3 feet 2 inches high, with a fortune of £5,000.” j “April 5 (1785). At Ripley Church, Mr j Robert Long to Miss H. Reynard.”' There is a disparity of age and size in this couple; the bridegroom being 37 ( years of age. and more than 0 feet high; j the bride 20 years old and little more. than 3 feet high. The paragraph recording the marriage in 1779 of a I couple, aged respectively 80 and 85, j concludes thus: "And what is still more i remarkable, there has been a courtship | carried on betwixt them for more than j 60 years.” 1