“The 3 Dear Babes”: Kinship and Childhood in Eighteenth-Century England

Authors

Ardis Smith, Brigham Young University
Dr. Amy Harris, Brigham Young University

Keywords

kinship, childhood, eighteenth century England, societal roles, familial duty

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

History

Abstract

In eighteenth-century England, kin relationships were an integral part of life for men and women of all classes. Primary sources from the period show that contrary to the postulations of some historians, kinship had a significant societal impact on men, women, and children of the period, and that the relationships between members of extended familial networks were rich and were built upon mutual cooperation and emotional attachment. With my ORCA research, I have learned about the significance of the kin relationships in eighteenth-century England. Specifically focusing on the relationships between adult kin (aunts and uncles) and their younger relatives (nieces and nephews), I have found that these relationships served as a venue for non-parental childcare in which children learned societal roles (especially gender roles), and as a way for kin to uphold ideas of familial duty and service that existed during the time period.

Recommended Citation

Smith, Ardis and Harris, Dr. Amy (2013) "“The 3 Dear Babes”: Kinship and Childhood in Eighteenth-Century England," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 315.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/315