[Dr. Frank fan]

Would women a hundred years ago tolerated this?

I don't know. I suspect many women a hundred years ago would have expected it.

All except for one difference, which is that a hundred years ago few man would wait till age 33+ to get married in the first place ;-)

[Tribune7]

a hundred years ago few man would wait till age 33

A hundred years ago most men would be nearing the end of their life expentency. (Well, I think it was 45)

[RipSawyer]

"All except for one difference, which is that a hundred years ago few man would wait till age 33+ to get married in the first place ;-)"

My paternal grandfather was born in 1879 and he waited until he was 31 to marry and he raised 4 sons and 4 daughters. Actually I think it was not that unusual for a man to be 30 or so before marrying someone who was often 10 or more years younger. In my own case I turned 21 in 1965 and in that era it was very common in the southeast for young men to be married and have children by 22. By the time I was 23 people were acting as though something was wrong with me because I was not married yet.
As for whether my grandfather was celibate until marriage, I seriously doubt it, I certainly wasn't.

[jjmcgo]

The Irish did!!!