wellcomecollection.org, London; archival ref. 28153i (accessed 24th Nov. 2023). Image is in the public domain; no known copyright.Surnames mentioned: — Adams, Black, Boyd, Church, Clements, Downing, Hunter, Jameson, Mc Mullan, Mc Peake, O’Hara, O’Kenan, and Poleek.
The 20th century notion of elopement is that of two young people who, having become thoroughly enamoured of one another, run away to marry. Reasons for doing so include one or both parties not having attained the age of majority and their parents’ consent, one (or both) of the families objecting strenuously to the match, or simply avoiding the absurd colossal expense of these “princess-for-a-day” fêtes.
In the 18th and 19th century, the word had a very different connotation:—a woman who had run away from her husband (or more rarely, vice versa) in the company of another beloved, was said to have eloped. In an era which required an act of legislation to pass Parliament in order to dissolve a marriage, elopement was the only means available to most people to separate from one’s spouse. Any subsequent marriage between the eloping parties was necessarily clandestine. It was also deemed an irregular marriage, that is, a marriage conducted outside the law.
Our transcripts from 18th century newspapers for the parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O’Crilly include a series of elopements:
- In May 1762
, Alexander Adams of Kilrea, shopkeeper, reported that his wife, Martha Adams otherwise Church, had departed the marriage. As was the usual case with this kind of notice, Mr. Adams declared that he would no longer pay his errant wife’s debts. - In September 1765 , Henry O’Kenan of Moneysallin [in the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly], farmer, reported that his wife, Catherine Mc Mullan otherwise O’Hara, had eloped from him several times. Mr O’Kenan cautioned readers not to extend credit to his wife on his account.
- In September 1769 , William Mc Peake of Ballymacpeake townland published a notice to advise the public that his wife, Ann Mc Peake otherwise Downing, had eloped, and not to credit her any goods or money on his account.
- In March 1776 , Robert Jameson of Movanagher, farmer, reported that his wife, Sarah Black otherwise Jameson, had separated from him, and that he would not pay any debts she contracted in his name.
- In October 1776 , David Clements, who lived near Portglenone, advised readers not to extend credit to his wife, Mary Clements otherwise Boyd, who had eloped from him.
- In May 1778 , Robert Poleek of Tamlaught,† county Derry, published a notice to advise that his wife, Mary Poleek otherwise Hunter, had eloped from him and not to credit her on his account. † Whether Tamlaught referred to the village of Tamlaght in the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly, or to one of several other villages and townlands of the same name in county Derry, was not stated.
Elopement (one) and irregular marriages (two) crop up in two of my four sets of great grandparents. What about your family history? Might you have an ancestor who flirted with these (then) scandalous practices?
See also :
- “Her husband went away some time agoe” uhra.herts.ac.uk, by Leanne Calvert, University of Hertfordshire, in Women’s History, 15, Summer 20.
- Elopement eighteenthcenturylit.pbworks.com, presented by 18thcenturylit
- Should I stay or should I go: Elopement in the 19th century , by Amy Pepe, online at Historic Geneva historicgeneva.org
- Index page for news transcripts for Kilrea and environs on Arborealis
End notes :
Source citation for this page: Kilpatrick, Alison. “Elopement in Kilrea & Tamlaght O’Crilly during the 1700s.” Published to Arborealis, online at arborealis.ca/blog/2023-11-24/elopement, accessed [insert date].
All rights reserved. Alison Kilpatrick ©2023.
Published 24th Nov. 2023; edited 31st Dec. 2023.
