Widows and Orphans

Here's an interesting factoid from the ESRC (Economic & Social Research Council) website that I thought I'd include on the blog because so many of my male ancestors (and a few female ancestors) died at an young age:

In England, between 1650 and 1700, the average age of women at widowhood was 47, rising to 53 by the early 19th century. Early 18th century valuations of widows' property in three different parts of England suggest that the property was worth between 38 and 79 per cent of their husbands', meaning that they didn't inheirit the entire estate after their husband's death. Where there were adult children, husbands left only part of the property to their wives. And, property was often granted to widows only for the length of their life rather than outright.