SEASONALITY OF WORK, RELIGION AND POPULAR CUSTOMS - THE SEASONALITY OF MARRIAGE IN THE 19TH-CENTURY AND 20TH-CENTURY NETHERLANDS

In this paper, the regional and social variation in seasonal patterns of marriage in the Netherlands is analyzed using data from the marriag e certificates of approximately 20 municipalities during the period 18 12-1912. After a presentation of published statistical data relating t o the Netherlands as a whole and to the different provinces, more deta iled data are presented by socio-economic group and region. Two fundam ental factors affected the differences in seasonality of marriage betw een regions and socio-economic groups: ecclesiastical constraints and differences in the seasonality of work. To measure accurately the impa ct of church law, a procedure was followed which took into account the annual variation in discouraged periods. In Catholic areas, different iation according to socioeconomic group in adherence to the religious norms was hardly visible; regional differences were clearly related to the religious composition of the population. During the period studie d, effects of secularization were not yet visible. The idea of a conti nental pattern of seasonality of marriage was put into serious doubt. It appeared that the avoidance of May marriages, which was considered a distinguishing trait of this pattern of seasonality, did not apply t o the Netherlands, nor to countries like Germany, England and Belgium. Adherence to a characteristic labour rhythm, together with the specif ic position of May in folk customs, were responsible for the popularit y of May marriages.