Marriages within forbidden grounds....

[kwr]

Ahem! I have an ancestor who married her uncle. It was illegal then and (I think, still is). Colin Roger's book "Family Tree Detective" and for that matter the Book of Common Prayer say it is illegal but what was the penalty?

There's no way they can do my ancestor for it now - the statute of limitations must exempt crimes committed a century ago but, I'm just interested and feel a bit frivolous. Anyone know the answer?

Ken

[MaryA]

Difficulty to pin down, but it would seem to come under the general heading of Incest, which according to Wikipedia, currently is punishable with up to 14 years imprisonment. I think much would depend on the ages of those involved.

[dickiesam]

Hi Ken,
Apparently in 'early times' it was not that uncommon. In fact some cultures/faiths, including the Jews, permitted the practice. There's an interesting discussion here: http://ask.metafilter.com/132629/Unclen ... -in-Europe

It includes the following quote:
In Australia "a person may marry their aunt or uncle". Wikipedia points out the interesting conflict that exists within the Criminal Code of the State of Queensland, which defines uncle-niece s*x as incest, but also states that s*x between persons eligible to marry each other is NOT incest.

Hmmmm!

Dickiesam

[kwr]

Mary,

Thank you for the reply. You might be right but I'd rather see one that said he had to do 10 years on a treadmill whilst wearing a mask that stopped him talking to anyone. It's a guess you made? Yes?

Stiill being sort of frivolous - if you don't mind?

My ancestors actually moved from one part of the country to another to make it seem apparently legal....

P.S. Please don't follow this up.


This site has so many expert sthey could indict she who should not be named...........


Ken - (alias somebody else). My name has changed to protect the genealogically challenged - ie meself

[MaryA]

Not so much a guess but try googling 1907 Dead Wife's Sister's Act (man allowed to marry his sister in law).

Maybe more satisfying to you it seems this sort of thing was originally included in the bible, from Eerdmans commentary on the Bible "Judicious flogging as a penalty for crime is well attested .... specify which offenders were punishable by flogging for example those guilty of the illicit sexual liaisons prohibited .... "

[kwr]

Thank you both for the references which I DID follow up and as usual learned a thing or three.

There is certainly no way I would have married my wife's sister......had my wife died - which she hasn't. Happy New Year. I'm sure this site will continue to flourish.


Ken