Being Single in Georgian England: Families, Households, and the Unmarried

Being Single in Georgian England explores the family life of unmarried and childless family members, revealing how they influenced the household economy, marital decisions, child-rearing practices, and conceptions about lineage and genealogy. The book highlights the importance of childhood relationships, siblinghood, and lateral kin, and how unmarried people contributed to family relationships and household dynamics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 03 August 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Being Single in Georgian England is a groundbreaking book that delves into the intricacies of family life during the 18th century, specifically focusing on the experiences of unmarried and childless family members. Through a micro-historical approach, author Amy Harris explores three generations of the renowned Sharp family, shedding light on their unique perspectives and contributions to the household economy, marital decisions, child-rearing practices, and conceptions about lineage and genealogy.

The Sharps' exceptional closeness and good humor shine through as their experiences reveal how eighteenth-century families navigated gender and age hierarchies, marital choices, and household governance. Childhood relationships and the lifelong nature of siblinghood are central aspects of Sharp family life, regardless of their marital status. The book also explores various themes such as humor, music, religious practice and belief, death and mourning, infertility, disability, slavery, abolition, philanthropy, and family memory.

What sets Being Single apart is its exploration of the importance of lateral kin, including siblings and cousins, in marital and household decisions. The analysis reveals that these relationships played a significant role in shaping family dynamics and influencing decision-making processes. Additionally, the book sheds light on other aspects of Georgian family life, such as single sociability that was not centered on courtship, the significance of aunting and uncling on their own terms, the role of charitable acts and philanthropic endeavors as outlets or partial replacements for parenthood, and the ways in which genealogical practices could be tied to values and identity rather than solely to biological descendants' possession of property.

The Sharp siblings' remarkable lives and the efforts of single family members to preserve a record of those lives serve as a testament to the enduring significance of family and the power of storytelling. Being Single offers a valuable insight into the complexities of 18th-century family life and provides a rich tapestry of experiences that continue to resonate with readers today.

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192869494