Deviant maternity : illegitimacy in eighteenth-century Wales
This thesis is a study of the prevalence, context, and experience of illegitimacy in Wales during the long eighteenth century, between approximately 1680 and 1800. It explores levels of illegitimacy across the Welsh counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, and investigates many of the underlying causes of childbirth outside of wedlock throughout eighteenth-century Wales. It is argued that Welsh illegitimacy was influenced by a combination of courtship-led marriage customs, a decline in traditional forms of social control, and worsening economic circumstances. In addition to exploring broader demographic trends, this study also examines the diverse individual identities, relationships and socioeconomic backgrounds of the mothers and fathers of illegitimate children in Wales, and the lived experience of conception, pregnancy and childbirth for unmarried mothers. The sexual encounters which resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child ranged from consensual sex which took place within the context of courtship, to sexual exploitation and rape. It is argued that these broad range of experiences are central to our understanding of illegitimacy. This thesis also examines infant and maternal survival chances,
Muir, Angela Joy
Illegitimacy ; Gender History ; History of Childbirth ; Welsh History ; History of the Body ; British History
Deviant maternity : illegitimacy in eighteenth-century Wales. This thesis is a study of the prevalence, context, and experience of illegitimacy in Wales during the long eighteenth century, between approximately 1680 and 1800. It explores levels of illegitimacy across the Welsh counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, and investigates many of the underlying causes of childbirth outside of wedlock throughout eighteenth-century Wales. It is argued that Welsh illegitimacy was influenced by a combination of courtship-led marriage customs, a decline in traditional forms of social control, and worsening economic circumstances. In addition to exploring broader demographic trends, this study also examines the diverse individual identities, relationships and socioeconomic backgrounds of the mothers and fathers of illegitimate children in Wales, and the lived experience of conception, pregnancy and childbirth for unmarried mothers. The sexual encounters which resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child ranged from consensual sex which took place within the context of courtship, to sexual exploitation and rape. It is argued that these broad range of experiences are central to our understanding of illegitimacy. This thesis also examines infant and maternal survival chances,
deviant maternity illegitimacy eighteenth_century wales study prevalence context experience illegitimacy wales explores level illegitimacy across welsh county investigate many underlying cause childbirth outside throughout eighteenth_century wales argue welsh illegitimacy influence combination courtship led marriage custom decline traditional form social_control economic circumstance addition_explore broad demographic trend study also_examine diverse individual identity relationship socioeconomic background mother father illegitimate child wales live_experience conception pregnancy childbirth unmarried mother sexual encounter result birth illegitimate child range consensual sex take_place within_context courtship sexual exploitation argue broad_range experience central illegitimacy also_examine infant_maternal survival chance