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The missing generation : grandparents and agency in early modern England
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Capp, Bernard (2023) The missing generation : grandparents and agency in early modern England. History . doi:10.1111/1468-229x.13330 ISSN 1468-229X. (In Press)
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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-229X.13330
Abstract
Grandparents have been largely overlooked in the otherwise rich historiography of the family in early modern England. This article shows how many were able to play significant roles in family life, in both emotional and practical terms. Some forged close bonds with their young grandchildren, or took them in for a period to relieve hard-pressed parents, while others were willing to raise and educate the orphaned. Some also provided moral or religious guidance, assuming responsibilities conventionally assigned to godparents, and in some cases even challenging parental decisions of which they disapproved. Grandchildren were almost always remembered in wills, with testators also careful to protect the interests of any potentially at risk. The article then turns to explore the role of grandparents acting as welfare providers, whether voluntarily or through a court order, for grandchildren left as orphans or born to unmarried mothers. It assesses the often contentious issue of grandparents’ moral and legal responsibilities under the parish relief system established by the Poor Law in 1601, and disputes between the paternal and maternal kin. Finally, the article touches briefly on grandparents as repositories of information, whose memories and experience could be of value to their community as well as to their own families.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
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Subjects: | D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman |
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Divisions: | Faculty of Arts > History | ||||||
SWORD Depositor: | Library Publications Router | ||||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Families -- Great Britain -- History, Grandparents -- Great Britain -- History, England -- Social life and customs, England -- Social conditions | ||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | History | ||||||
Publisher: | Wiley | ||||||
ISSN: | 1468-229X | ||||||
Official Date: | 17 February 2023 | ||||||
Dates: |
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DOI: | 10.1111/1468-229x.13330 | ||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
Publication Status: | In Press | ||||||
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): | This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: CAPP, B. (2023), The Missing Generation: Grandparents and Agency in Early Modern England. History. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-229X.13330, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-229X.13330. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited | ||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||||
Copyright Holders: | The Historical Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | ||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 20 March 2023 |
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