Was it possible for a woman to give birth at the age of 51 in the 18th century?
Q My query revolves around the question ‘Was it possible for a woman to give birth at the age of 51 in the 18th century?’
In the course of my family history I have discovered a possible connection to a titled family in Co Durham, which is a different story. However, due to this being extremely unusual in my family tree, I decided to go back through the branch of my family that led to this, checking and double-checking each generation.
My ancestor was Sarah Dilloway, baptised on 6 April 1766 in Lodsworth, Sussex, the daughter of Charles Dilloway. I have gained the following information about this family, which may or may not be correct. These entries are all taken from the Sussex parish records, now on Ancestry.
Charles Dilloway son of Charles Dilloway baptised 18 January, 1711, in Fernhurst. (I now believe the parents were Charles Dilloway and Catherine West).
Charles Dilloway and Mary Russell were married 23 October 1733 Easebourne.
They had the following children baptised in Lodsworth: 1734 Charles, 02 February 1736 William, 03 October 1738 Henry, 25 June 1740 Thomas, 18 May 1742 John, 22 August, buried 28 August 1742 1743 Benjamin, 28 August 1745 Mary, 28 July, buried 12 March 1754 1747 John, 28 June There is another entry that confused me, a burial of another Thomas on 20 April 1739, but I can’t find his baptism.
All these baptisms/burials say son/daughter of Charles (no mother’s name).
Mary the wife of Charles Dilloway was buried 15 November 1747 in Lodsworth.
Charles Dilloway and Mary Betsworth were married 20 October 1748 in Lodsworth.
Again the following children baptised in Lodsworth: 1748 Daniel, 08 January 1750 Cornelius, 08 April, buried 05 March 1754 1752 Dinah, 19 January, buried 05 March 1754
1753 Peter, 28 October 1755 George, 07 September 1757 Dinah, 22 May 1759 Edward, 29 April 1761 Hannah, 25 January 1763 Elizabeth, 14 July, buried 08 January
