Cohabitation in the north-east of England in the eighteenth century

What is it about?

This chapter shows that cohabitation between unmarried couples could occur even though society and the Church disapproved. It suggests that if a man was wealthy or important in the local area, he could ignore attempts to enforce moral conformity. Men who had housekeepers had a household set up which had the potential to hide the cohabiting relationship between them. Also a community might accept the informal union if the alternative was a conflictual and therefore disruptive married couple.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Cohabitation is difficult to uncover in the eighteenth century, so this chapter offers some useful insights into the circumstances of such relationships.