From: G6JPG@255soft.uk
On 2025/9/27 5:37:45, Steve Hayes wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:10:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver"
> wrote:
>
>> On 2025/9/25 12:47:25, Jenny M Benson wrote:
>>> On 25/09/2025 11:30, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>>>> The preprinted forms for marriage bonds and allegations have this text:
>>>>
>>>> .. made oath as follows (to wit) That he is of the age of [ ] Years and
>>>> upwards, and a [ ] and intends to marry [ ] of the Parish of [ ] in the
>>>> County of [ ] and Diocese of [ ] aged [ ] Years and upwards ...
>>>>
>>>> (or variations thereon). [The second box might be filled in with e. g.
>>>> Bachelor, Widower; the long one with name of diocese Spinster. They
>>>> aren't really boxes, just gaps.]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Can anyone explain the "Years and upwards" wording?
>>>
>>> Isn't is just another way of saying "at least n years old"?
>>>
>> Yes, but why say "at least 23" (for example)? If the person is unsure of
>> his (or her) age, and just wants to swear he (or she) is over the age of
>> majority, say 21 (and I've seen enough who do say that when it isn't
>> true!), but if he knows, why the "and upwards"?
>
> The "and upwards" is for those who are unsure. If it weren't printed
> there, and there was simply a blank to be filled in with the actual
> age, "don't know" or "unknown" or "not sure" would not satisfy the
> legal requirements. If the actual age is known, then it adds nothing.
>
>
I could say that if it was being filled in where someone didn't know,
they would almost certainly be accompanied by someone who knew to put
that [in fact the form is worded to imply it isn't filled in by the
applicant anyway, but by the official]. I suppose having it preprinted
saved the official a little thought/reminds them they _can't_ just put
unknown, though.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
No sense being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway.
- Penny Mayes, UMRA, 2014-August
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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