Marrying your dead wife's sister

[jennywren001]

Hi Everyone,

William Easton married Isabella Wallace in 1846 the banns were called in Logie Pert and Montrose. Second marriage for both of them - Isabella was the widow of John Rae. William's wife Elizabeth Wallace died sometime between 1842 and 1846.  I'm assuming Isabella was not Elizabeth's sister as this kind of union was not permitted by the church at that date.  Is that a safe assumption to make? Or better - is that a measured consideration to take - no safe assumptions ever I fear....
Jen

PS Monica I've scoffed all the virtual cake but it must be good stuff as I'm 25 pages in

[BumbleB]

Nothing to do with Scotland, but I believe I've got at least a couple of instances - in the forbidden period - where the widower married his dead wife's sister.   Or maybe it's just coincidence that two women with the same surname had a father with the same forename and occupation 

[flst]

I also have an instance of a widower marrying their wife's sister as well, but at a later date.
flst

[deebel]

Hi Everyone,

William Easton married Isabella Wallace in 1846 the banns were called in Logie Pert and Montrose. Second marriage for both of them - Isabella was the widow of John Rae. William's wife Elizabeth Wallace died sometime between 1842 and 1846.  I'm assuming Isabella was not Elizabeth's sister as this kind of union was not permitted by the church at that date.  Is that a safe assumption to make? Or better - is that a measured consideration to take - no safe assumptions ever I fear....
Jen

PS Monica I've scoffed all the virtual cake but it must be good stuff as I'm 25 pages in

The law changed in 1907 in England to allow the sister of a dead wife to marry the widower.

Not sure about Scotland which in general was much more "liberal" in recognising marriages in a variety of forms

[deebel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deceased_Wife%27s_Sister%27s_Marriage_Act_1907

[Jebber]

Although not Scorland, I also have several instances of a man marrying his late wife's sister, often these marriage occurred in places where the couple were unknown. Having said that, I have one couple going to London to do the deed, another in the next parish, where they may well have been known, and a third married after banns in their home village parish where they had lived all their lives.
These were all in the mid 1850's.

Jebber

[MonicaL]

Thank you deebel. Trying to remember the date when it became legal for these parties to marry in England at least. Haven't seen a corresponding date for Scotland. May be different?

Monica

PS: Jen, the weather is cold and miserable. Enjoy your research before weather gets warmer and other things detract 

[MonicaL]

Can't see anything referred to that type of marriage here www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolitical/research/economicsocialhistory/historymedicine/scottishwayofbirthanddeath/marriage/

Could it have fallen under "irregular marriages"?

Lots of experts here on Scottish law on the Scottish RC pages.... Hopefully someone can add the appropriate detail.

Monica

[Redroger]

I have an instance in my own family in Cambridge, my grandmother's older sister married and subsequently died; her widower remarried and his second wife also died. He then married my grandmother's younger sister as his third attempt. She always insisted there were no skeletons in her side of the family; but she was a witness at this wedding! All 1890s to 1900s so forbidden period.
More recently in the 1970s and 1980s, a friend of mine did it twice, serially marrying 3 sisters, by that time of course entirely legal.