Table of Contents

Family and marriage in the mid 18th century - the family, marriage law, marriage in practice; Lord Hardwicke's Act 1753, the landed embrace the loaded - structural changes in economy and marriage, clandestine marriage, the law-makers; marriage and the law 1754-1927, the state retreats? - the Civil Marriage Act 1836, informal marriage 1836-1927; welfare, affluence and the family since 1945 - welfare, affluence, the family; the new family law - post-war family law, a conventional view, an alternative view, the functions of the new family law, cohabitation law.