Genealogy Forum UK

Yesterday I received a copy of a marriage certificate from the GRO for Edwin Tandy. I was a bit shocked to see that he married Ellen Stokes (both on BCC) in 1863. Ellen was Edwin's 1st cousin. Were there not laws against marrying 1st cousins? Everything on the certificate matches, their ages, his occ. fathers names and occ. Another strange thing is Edwin was born & raised in Birmingham, War. Most of his siblings married at Birmingham. The marriage certificate indicates Edwin & Ellen were married in the Parish Church (no name for church) in the Parish of Handsworth, Staff.? On the 1871 census Edwin & Ellen are living in Aston, Warwickshire and Ellen show's she was born Hagley, Worc., which is also correct. Was marrying a cousin very common in 1863??

This may help?
http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html

If it was good enough for Charles Darwin and Queen Victoria then I imagine marrying a first cousin was not unusual! Certainly it happened quite a bit in my family.
I think attitudes were different in America though.
My daughter says that biologically speaking it is best to marry a second cousin because that provides enough genetic variation for success whilst ensuring your own genes continue.

Thank you, both, so much. I'll add this to BCC and hope nobody notices.