Monday 25 April 2016

A-Z Challenge 2016: U is for Uxor

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
The further back in time you go (in parish records, that is), the less and less they seem to think of women.  Children are baptised as the son or daughter of John 'and his wife'.  Then the son or daughter of 'John', with no wife mentioned at all.  I have even come across a marriage record which stated that on a certain date, 'James married his wife'!

Uxor is the Latin for wife.  So, among the highly-stylised Secretary Hand (can you believe it was supposed to make things clearer?) and the mystifying abbreviations (which were probably not at all mystifying to the person who wrote them), you come across 'et uxor', or 'et ux'.  All this means is 'and wife'.


© 2016 Ros Haywood. All Rights Reserved

8 comments:

  1. I've always thought that it's the treatment of women throughout religious history that's colored life history. Women are at fault for everything and unworthy of anything! This is man's doing and a lot of them are 'religious'!

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    Replies
    1. However, I'm sure there are a lot of men who would say "it's always MY fault, isn't it?", meaning themselves. Let's just be glad we live at a slightly more enlightened time.

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  2. I have not come across this but not surprised since some dogs were prized higher than the wives.

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  3. Our records are so clear in Quebec back to the 1600's always putting the mother's maiden name, I get frustrated with my English and Scottish ancestors' records that sometimes are no help at all.

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    Replies
    1. Scottish records can be pretty good; they often give the names of the grandparents on a marriage document! but I agree, the English ones sometimes make me drop my head into my hands...

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  4. Well that's charming isn't it - a woman goes through the hell of child birth and doesn't even get a mention! I'm glad this has progressed a lot.
    I have to admit "John married his wife" kind of made me giggle :)
    Debbie

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    Replies
    1. And that was really true! I saw it and my jaw dropped.

      Delete

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