1815 Marriage BELIN to PROSSER - Did They Divorce Back Then?

[Les de B]

I'm just wondering if there were divorces back in the early 1800's?

My gg grandfather, Reverend Charles BELIN married Helen PROSSER 1815, Marylebone, England. They moved to France, and had a child about 1816.

Charles was living in Havre, France from that time, and in 1825 he married Mary WATTS (my gg grandmother) in the British Embassy Chapel, Paris.

That being the case, I presumed Helen PROSSER must have died somewhere between 1815 and 1825 - wrong!

I have just found this news announcement in the 1824 Hampshire Telegraph/Sussex Chronicle; "Married on the 29th at Havre-de Grace, Helen, the wife of the Rev Charles BELIN, Chaplain to the British Counsel; and daughter of the late Major PROSSER, of the Royal Artillery".

It still indicates Helen being the wife of Charles, but doesn't indicate who she just married on 29th.  So it appears that Helen didn't die (as I presumed ), but why would she still call herself the "the wife" of her former husband? Did they divorce back in those days, or was it something else?


Les

(just updated the relatioship to gg grandfather/gg grandmother. I had forgotten the "gg" - I'm not that old

[stanmapstone]

A divorce at that time was only possible by a private Act of Parliament.

Stan

[Les de B]

Thanks Stan, but what does that mean? Iwould presume the two mentioned in my posting got a divorce, but if their marriage was in England, how would they get a divorce in France, or is that something different again?

If the first wife advertised her second marriage that she was the wife of her first husband, I presume the first marriage was annulled somehow, as one wouldn't think she would advertise she was a bigamist.

Les

[stanmapstone]

Hi Les,
I would have thought it should say "the former wife of the Rev Charles BELIN" otherwise it does not seem to make any sense
I see Charles Belin resigned in 1828.
Stan

[Les de B]

Hi Stan,

Yes, I read the article a couple of times, it just doesn't make sense, especially as it doesn't even name the new husband. The article does indicate she married at Havre-de-Grace (France). Could the article have been mixed up between France and England? Guess, I'll never know.

Also, read about Charles Belin resigning in 1828 (19th Century Newspaper Site). Don't know the circumstances. From his second marriage he had one daughter born in Le Havre about 1827, then a son born in Deal, Kent abt 1828. In 1833 he was Vice Principal of College on Guernsey Island, then 1837's Headmaster at Guildford Grammar School, and finally in 1852 local vicar in Northampshire until his death in 1863. He got around.

Les

[stanmapstone]

Hi Les,

Just a thought I wonder if the typesetter made a mistake and should have put
"DIED on the 29th at Havre-de Grace, Helen, the wife of the Rev Charles BELIN, Chaplain to the British Counsel; and daughter of the late Major PROSSER, of the Royal Artillery".

This would make sense, and explain why there is no mention of a supposed husband.


Stan

[Les de B]

I wonder if the typesetter made a mistake and should have put "DIED on the 29th at Havre-de Grace, Helen, the wife of the Rev Charles BELIN, Chaplain to the British Counsel; and daughter of the late Major PROSSER, of the Royal Artillery".

What a brilliant example of lateral thinking! It certainly makes sense, and does read a lot better. If that was the case, I wonder if her death influenced Rev Charles BELIN to take out his Life Insurance Policy (I have copy) only six months later "in the sum of 10,000 francs to his listed inheritors"? I haven't a list of those inheritors, but I know his first daughter would have only been about 8 then. 

I suppose the only thing I can do is put both options (Marriage/Death) in my records, and let the reader make the decision

Les