CHAPTER IV. MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, AND DEATHS. SINCE 1837 a return of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages in each of the Poor Law Unions, has been quarterly remitted to the Registrar General in London, and the following table embodies particulars, compiled from these returns, of the events most interesting to families, which occurred in Suffolk during the 7 years, 1845-51. Births Deaths 10,486 10,848 10,101 10,620❘ 10,955 11,083 11,369 6,572 6,606 6,879 6,501 7,078 6,627 6,839 The year 1848 is the only year in this series in which such an increase of marriages is conspicuous, as has almost invariably been observed whenever the earnings of the people enable them to procure an extra quantity of the necessaries of life. The births, also, being more numerous, and the mortality below the average, is confirmatory of the improved condition of the people, arising from increased activity in the sources of employment. We might point to the gradual decrease in the number of marriages in the years 1849, 1850, and 1851, as indicating derangements in the labor market. But we leave this, as the question of Marriages, as well as those of Births and Deaths, have to be separately treated, and we shall then show that the Marriage Returns for Suffolk serve as a sort of barometer of the prosperity of the county. MARRIAGES. The Registrar General has shown in a very able manner that "the fluctuations in the marriages of a country expresses the views which the great body of the people take of their prospects in the world." Such a view of the most important event in the lives of human beings invests it with an extra degree of interest, socially and commercially. Individual observations may show that there is but little calculation of ways and means, before entering into matrimonial engagements; but the returns for the whole county, observed for a series of years, forcibly illustrates the theory, that periods of prosperity are the eras of excess of marriages. The following table exhibits the number of marriages in each of the years 1840-53, and the quarters of these years: 1840. 1841. 1812. 1843. 1814. 1845. 1816. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852 1853. March 479 465 443 440 438 444 465 436 516 470 478 467 450 449 488 496 537 470 469 456 480 459 454 482 516 Sept. 415 456 423 402 431 490 504 498 464 436 431 42 Dec. 963 938 860 984 1,013 1,032 1,020 1,023 1,022 1,011 954 917 914 1,052 Total 2,311 2,378 2,167 2,268 2,351 2,446 2,477 2,453 2,539 2,398 2,332 2,294 2,326 2,476 The marriages are unequally distributed throughout the year. They are not numerous in the months of January, February, and March, but increase slightly in the spring quarter, and decrease in the summer quarter; the months of October, November, and December being most commonly chosen for the commencement of matrimonial life. The close of harvest, the termination of the yearly service at Michaelmas, and the approach of the festive Christmas season, doubtless combine to swell the marriage roll at the end of the year. Generally speaking, the marriages in the autumn quarter are double the number of those of either of the other quarters. In 1841, the number of Females at the age of 15 and under 45, was 70,524; and the marriages in the 7 years 1839-45, showed 3.263 women married annually to every 100 women at these ages. Taking the whole population, in the six years 1839-44, there was 1 marriage annually to every 138 persons living. In Essex, the marriages were 1 in 154; in England 1 in 129. The proportion varies greatly in the different Unions, and is largest in the towns. The increased proportion of marriages in the towns of Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's is easily explained by the fact of there being a greater number of residents between the ages of 18 and 40, the marriageable age, and from many persons resorting to these towns for the celebration of the marriage ceremony. The Registrar General, having distinguished the Bachelors from the Widowers, and the Spinsters from the Widows, we are enabled to show the number of re-marriages. In 1851, there were in Suffolk 8 husbands to 1 widower, but only 5 wives to 1 widow, proving that widowers more frequently re-marry than widows. Where the mortality is greatest, there, as a general rule, the re-marriages are found to bear the largest proportion. In the three years, 1847-9, about 16 per cent. of the bridegrooms in Ipswich were widowers, whilst in Bosmere, the widowers were 8 per cent. After the mortality of the December quarter of 1846, and the March quarter of 1847, the re-marriages rose from 455 to 524, and 519 in 1847-8. In the five years, 1845-9, there were 891 widows, and 1,603 widowers entered as brides and bridegrooms, showing more than 10 widowers to every 6 widows. Of the widowers 1,100 were married to spinsters, and 503 to widows the remaining 298 widows being united to bachelors. More than two-thirds of the widowers were united to women never previously married, whilst considerably more than half of the widows have taken "widowers" as their "future partners in life." About 10 per cent. of the persons married had been married before, and, of consequence, enumerated in the returns of previous years. Of the marriages contracted in the 10 years, 1840-9, there were 20,970 celebrated according to the rites of the Established Church-2,392 by license, 11,780 by banns, 207 by Registrar's certificate, and in 6,561 cases the form is not stated. There were 2,868 other marriages not celebrated according to the rites of the Establishment. Of these a very small number were celebrated at Roman Catholic chapels, 14 only at "Friends meeting houses, 1,810 at registered places of worship belonging to other Christian denominations, and 987 at the offices of Superintendent Registrars. The number of persons who avail themselves of the Registrar's office for the performance of the contract of marriage increased from 102 in 1840, to 290 in 1849. The increase has been slow and fluctuating; but between Suffolk and Essex there is a striking difference in this particular. In the three years, 1847-9, there were 494 marriages celebrated at the Registrars' offices in Suffolk, whilst in Essex, there were only 191 so performed. There was only one marriage between Jews during the years named, and none by special license. Marriages among Dissenters rose from 179 in 1842, to 399 in 1848. Still the influence of Church principles in connexion with the solemnization of matrimony is strongly evidenced86 per cent of the marriages were celebrated according to the rites of the Church of England, although less than 40 per cent. of the population are attendant upon her services. In some districts 95 per cent. of the marriages were performed by ministers of the Establishment. In 1849, in Bosmere, 106 were so celebrated out of 111, and in Mutford, 146 out of 152. The Census Returns made known to us the existence of a number (1,382) of husbands, wives, and widows under 20 years of age, and the Registrar General's returns exhibit annually the number of persons who make a contract of marriage before they are of “full age. Thus, in the ten years, 1840-9, of the persons married, 1,279 men, and 3,986 women, were not of "full age"-5 per cent. of the males, and 17 of the females were under 21 years of age. These early and improvident marriages abound most in Cosford, Sudbury, Hartismere, and Stow districts, where about 22 per cent. of the brides are under age. The low state of education in Suffolk is also evidenced by the Marriage Registers. In the seven years, 1839-45, the men who signed the registers with marks numbered 46 per cent., the women 52 per cent. In all England, during the same period, the proportion was— men 33, women 49, per cent. Comparison with a mining, an agricultural, and two manufacturing counties at a later period, 1847-9, will most plainly exhibit the defective state of education among our adult males. This average of 46 per cent. in Suffolk covers a great In 1847-8, 62 per cent. of the males, and range. |