] I found that tidbit of information quite fascinating because I had the impression from JA novels and Georgette Heyer books that the average bride was much, much younger! I would have guessed the average bride was around nineteen or so....did you find that surprising, too?

I have read (elsewhere) in Georgian times , there was a shortage of men in English society and an abundance of women- I think there is a reference to this in 'P&P' at the Meryton dance when Lizzy often sat down for want of a partner.I imagine war on the Continent kept many young men out of England.I'm not so surprised if women were obliged to marry when slightly older,but 25? And during an era when people usually died in their late 60s; Considering a woman's prime role in life was to be a wife and mother,this must have been very frustrating for gentry daughters.