English birth - Sybil Joan Burnett

[ev]

And, according to trees on Ancestry, the divorce came through in March 1914?
Not seeing that at TNA, so probably in Scotland?

Cannot see a divorce in Scotland 
http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/catalogues-and-indexes


ev

[dawnsh]

Sybil Swann mmn Bell b 1913 died Aberdeen 1983 (scotlands people)

Memorial trophy here

http://kdartsforum.wordpress.com/tag/milton-of-crathes/

and a scenic picture here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hillview7/6066229820/

[KGarrad]

And, according to trees on Ancestry, the divorce came through in March 1914?
Not seeing that at TNA, so probably in Scotland?

Cannot see a divorce in Scotland 
http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/catalogues-and-indexes


ev

Hmmm! Maybe Ireland, then - as they were in Cork in 1911?

No - a Private Bill in the Houses of Parliament!
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1914/aug/04/pack-beresfords-divorce-bill-hl

Interesting! The following cluase was eventually omitted!
Clause 8:

§ Sybil Maud Pack-Beresford prohibited from marrying Charles Stewart Burnett.

§ 8. The said Sybil Maud Pack-Beresford shall not inter-marry with the said Charles Stewart Burnett and any marriage celebrated between them shall be null and void.

[avm228]

It looks as though it was indeed in the Irish jurisdiction:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/b15c147f-9f0f-4643-b30b-f70be38c8ab9

[avm228]

A summary of the 1914 news reports:

• Under Irish law, Henry required an Act of Parliament for the dissolution of the marriage.
• The Pack-Beresfords were a well-known Irish family.
• Sybil was wealthy, with some £70,000 in Consols and a large house in Algiers.
• Henry and Sybil married in Berkshire and were initially happy.
• Two sons were born to the marriage (Oct 1905, May 1907).
• In 1912 Maj Henry P-B's military duties caused them to take up residence at Gorran Tower nr Glasgow where they met and befriended Capt Charles Burnett, a subaltern in the same regiment.
• In November 1912 Sybil went to London for Christmas shopping and appeared depressed a few weeks later.
• When questioned by her husband, Sybil admitted misconducting herself with Capt Burnett but Henry forgave her for the sake of their children.
• Sybil later gave birth to a daughter of whom Henry disclaimed paternity, and Sybil confessed to further misconduct with Capt Burnett.
• Henry afterwards received a letter from Sybil saying she had gone to Paris and wanted a divorce.
• Evidence from hotel staff in both London and Paris suggested Sybil had stayed with Capt Burnett.
• Capt Burnett agreed to pay a sum of damages to Major Pack-Beresford, fixed according to his means which were "practically nothing".

[Forfarian]

And, according to trees on Ancestry, the divorce came through in March 1914?
Not seeing that at TNA, so probably in Scotland?

No listing found in the National Records of Scotland. Unlike in TNA, all divorce papers in Scotland are retained in NRS and indexed in the catalogue, so perhaps the absence thereof suggests they were divorced in Ireland?

[KGarrad]

And, according to trees on Ancestry, the divorce came through in March 1914?
Not seeing that at TNA, so probably in Scotland?

No listing found in the National Records of Scotland. Unlike in TNA, all divorce papers in Scotland are retained in NRS and indexed in the catalogue, so perhaps the absence thereof suggests they were divorced in Ireland?

As I said in reply #12, and avm228 said in replies #13 and #14!

Case heard before the High Court in Ireland, and passed on to The House of Lords/Commons.

[QuentinDJ]

Thanks to all for those helpful replies.
You folks just love looking people up, don't you?

I see some confusion between Sybil Joan and Sybil Jean.
Peerage online has Sybil Joan, but Ancestry.com has mostly Sybil Jean.


Quentin D.J.

[KGarrad]

Judging by the number of errors in Peerage Online, I would go with Jean, as on the birth record?!