Unquiet Lives: Marriage and Marriage Breakdown in England, 1660-1800

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Series-title......Page 4
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
CONTENTS......Page 9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 10
Published works......Page 12
Archival sources......Page 13
1 Introduction: reassessing marriage......Page 15
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GENDER DIVERSITY......Page 26
REGIONAL CONTEXT......Page 29
INTERPRETING MARRIAGE: A METHODOLOGY......Page 36
CONCLUSION: A HOLISTIC VIEW OF MARRIED LIFE......Page 41
DEFINING MARITAL DIFFICULTIES......Page 44
INFORMAL INTERVENTION IN MARITAL DIFFICULTIES......Page 46
Local parish officers......Page 49
Justices of the peace in and out of session......Page 52
The ecclesiastical courts......Page 60
Local attorneys......Page 66
Public announcements......Page 70
CONCLUSION......Page 74
4 ‘An honourable estate’: marital roles in the household......Page 75
MANAGING THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY......Page 76
MANAGING THE HOUSEHOLD......Page 90
CONCLUSION: MARITAL CO-DEPENDENCY......Page 97
MATERIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MARRIAGE......Page 99
SPOUSES AND PROPERTY OWNERSHIP......Page 111
CONLUSION: POWER IN THE HOUSEHOLD......Page 122
WIFE-BEATING CASES AS EVIDENCE......Page 124
DEFINING UNACCEPTABLE MALE BEHAVIOUR IN MARRIAGE......Page 128
DEFINING ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR FOR WIVES......Page 142
CONCLUSION: A BATTLE OF THE SEXES?......Page 151
CHANGING UNDERSTANDINGS OF ADULTERY......Page 154
MALE ADULTERY AND THE SEXUAL DOUBLE-STANDARD......Page 157
FEMALE ADULTERY AND THE SEXUAL DOUBLE-STANDARD......Page 163
CHANGES IN THE PERCEPTIONS OF ADULTERESSES, THEIR HUSBANDS AND THEIR LOVERS......Page 175
CONCLUSION: FUTURE RESEARCH......Page 180
8 ‘Till death us do part’: life after a failed marriage......Page 182
THE REASONS FOR IRRECONCILABLE MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN......Page 183
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS......Page 192
WORKING ARRANGEMENTS......Page 201
CONCLUSION......Page 205
9 ‘Mutual society, help and comfort’: conclusion......Page 207
(A) ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS......Page 219
(E) PARISH RECORDS......Page 220
Durham Record Office, County Hall, Durham......Page 237
Tyne and Wear Archives, Newcastle......Page 238
PRINTED PRIMARY SOURCES......Page 239
SECONDARY SOURCES......Page 241
INDEX......Page 255