Posted by kate on June 28, 1997 at 10:23:27:
In reply to Re:women and inherited wealth posted by Caroline on June 27, 1997 at 16:48:36
Woemn could certainly inherit land, as long as it was not entailed. They could also inherit other property such as cash or bonds.
The question is, would they have been able to CONTROL the property after inheriting. A single women of age was a legal person, and was entitled to do everything in relation to land and other property as a man ie buy, sell, make a will, gift etc.
A married woman on the other hand had no independent property rights: her property and her husband's was regarded as one, and as the controlling partner in the marriage, the husband would have exercised control over that property. Sometime special arrangements would be made for a woman on her marriage which would tie up her own money in a trust, for example, so as to limit her (and therefore her husband's control over that money, and simply provide a regular income.
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