The Age of Marriage Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. 5. c. 36) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which increased the age of marriage to sixteen. It was passed in response to a campaign by the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship.The Law of Marriage, www.parliament.uk.
Subsequent developments The whole act was repealed for England and Wales by section 12(1) of, and the schedule to, the Affiliation Proceedings Act 1957 (5 & 6 Eliz. 2. c. 55), which came into force on 1 April 1958.
The whole act was repealed for Scotland by section 28(2) of, and schedule 3 to, the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977, which came into force on 1 January 1978.
Corresponding provision was made for Northern Ireland by the (c. 25 (N.I.)).
Section 1 At common law and by canon law a person who had attained the legal age of puberty could contract a valid marriage. A marriage contracted by persons either of whom was under the legal age of puberty was voidable. The legal age of puberty was fourteen years for males and twelve years for females. This section amended the law so that a marriage contracted by persons either of whom was under the age of sixteen years was void. This provision is re-enacted by section 2 of the Marriage Act 1949.Bromley and Lowe. Bromley's Family Law. Eighth Edition. Butterworths. 1992. p 35.
In section 1(1), the words from the beginning to "Provided that", and section 1(2)(a), of the act were repealed by part I of the fifth schedule to the Marriage Act 1949 (12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 76), which came into force on 1 January 1950.
The proviso to section 1(1) was repealed for England and Wales by section 51 of, and the fourth schedule to, the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 69), which came into force on 1 January 1957, and for Scotland by section 21(2) of, and schedule 2 to, the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 1976, which came into force on 15 December 1976.
See also sections 6(2) and 14(3) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 69).
Reception In Pugh v Pugh (1951), Pearce J said:
The Justice of the Peace and Local Government Review said that "Acts of Parliament that lay down hard and fast rules interfering with individual liberty are certain to give rise to some unsatisfactory results" and that this particular Act was "no exception".(1932) 96 Justice of the Peace and Local Government Review 478 Google Books
See also Child marriage Marriage Act Marriage in England and Wales Marriage in Scotland
Notes
References Halsbury's Statutes,
External links