Prohibited marriages

[las camelias]

I have been searching RC for this subject, but can't find what I am looking for.

Can anyone tell me if my Gt.Grandfather's marriage (after his first wife died) to his sister-in-law in 1910 would have been legal?

LC

[wildtech]

It became legal to marry the sister of your wife in 1907 but only if your first wife was deceased.  Up until then it was illegal whether the first wife was dead or not.

This has happened on my family tree on three occasions at least one of which was illegal.  And both ceremonies were carried out in the same church by the same vicar   

Just found this link in my bookmarks
http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html

[las camelias]

Thanks wildtech, that answers that then! 

Have a great rest-of-the-weekend.

LC

[stanmapstone]

These marriages were illegal from 1835 until the Marriage (Prohibited
Degrees of Relationship) Act 1907  that is the Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Act, 1907

From the RootsChat Lexicon
Rules and Prohibitions for marriages between relations
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,118581.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,209679.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,319292.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,319899.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,326793.0.html
Stan

[stanmapstone]

Also http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,227963.msg1207849.html#msg1207849

Stan

[Redroger]

Stan has given all the references, the fact of the situation is that very much marriages outside of the permitted relationships did take place, often in circumstances where the clergy almost certainly knew but chose to ignore the problems. A little while ago I asked whether in these circumstances marriage would be legal. Identical twins married identical twins. Would any offspring of theirs be eligible to marry their genitically identical first cousin?

[chinakay]

I'm thinking that a marriage between such first cousins would be regulated by church law rather than by an understanding of genetics, which wouldn't have been very clear until later in the 20th century. Just my opinion...Stan would be able to give a much better explanation...

Cheers,
China

[behindthefrogs]

One major point to consider is that while the marriages were prohibited, that is should not take place, they were not illegal.  Thus once such a marriage had taken place it was a legal marriage and for example marrying a deceased wife's husband was not grounds for the marriage to be dissolved

David

[chinakay]

That's interesting, never considered that. Puts a new light on something my gggrandfather did

I'd also be interested to know who would marry a deceased wife's husband

Cheers,
China