Firstly, these ridiculously detailed 'probable weather' predictions for an entire year taken from some late nineteenth century almanacs...
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| Peace's Almanac 1866-8 |
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| Orkney Archive Reference SC11/38/8 |
... Jane Blackwell Gordon used this document to protect her assets when planning to marry Dr Edward Mitchell. Her money and property would otherwise have become her husband's upon marriage. Therefore, Dr Mitchell had to 'renounce' his rights to Jane's possessions.
This legal protection was only available to wealthy women. Most married women lost the rights to all property including their children until the married women's property act of 1870. For more information see here.
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