Llanfechain School Master + Scandal

[eric]

My grandfather Francis John Davies was schoolmaster at Llanfechain from 1891 to 1901/3. His wife had died in 1895. He committed the offence of falling in love with his sister inlaw,also a teacher in the school.She was also living with the family and  looking after his 4 children.I believe they got married illegally around 1902 They were turned out of thier home and jobs[ It was an offence to marry a dead wifes sister] Gandmother Sophia Dudley went to the workhouse with his 4 children,In the workhouse she had a  son,it was taken from her not to be seen again.Grandfather may have been jailed for getting married illegally.They got married when the Wifes sisters marriage Act was changed in 1907. Can anyone please help.Any info would be most welcome. Many thanks 

[eric]

In 1901 Census my grand parents were shown as school teachers in Llanfechain School. Francis John Davies as head of household [plus his 4 children,his wife died in 1895] and  Sophia Dudley, sister inlaw.  This is where the scandal began, they either got married illegally or had a child out of wedlock,some time between 1901 and 1904. This must have been headline news. Marriage was not permitted with a dead wifes sister before the law was changed in 1907. they had a legal marriage once the the law was changed and my father was a product of this marriage. As a consequence of this scandal both Francis John Davies and Sophia Dudley lost thier jobs as school teachers. Rumour has it that Sophia Dudley went to the workhouse with his 4 children. Whist in the workhouse she had a child [son] which was taken away from her.[fact]. As a result of this maybe illegal marriage did Francis John Davies serve time in prison? Can any kind historian please answer any of the many questions concerning the above? This was always a taboo subject at home and was only mentioned in hushed tones.Any replys will be gratefully received. Many thanks.

Moderator Comment:  Topics merged

[Lloydy]

Your two posts, this one and http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,124631.0.html are about the same subject.

I think it would be better to merge them into one so it would make replying with information much easier, or you could always delete one of the posts.

Jan

I can always ask a Moderator to merge them for you.

Moderator Comment:  Topics merged

[Lloydy]

This should give you some interesting information about the Workhouse and County Gaol (Jail) of Montgomeryshire -

http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/montgomery/mgmmenu.shtml

Note that the Montgomery jail closed in 1878, so if Francis was sent to prison it would have been outside of the county.


Do you have the "legal" marriage certificate?  I'm just curious as to what is written - are they noted as batchelor/spinster?

Jan

[Lloydy]

Some more institutions are also listed here:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,456.0.html


Jan

[GWENDOLINE]

Was that right that it was illegal for a husband to marry his dead wife's sister  I think I have this occurring also in 1836 when the couple married in Gretna Green and the later more publicly in 1840.  Was it an offence then?

[eric]

There are two question to answer here. Husbands  who had lost thier wife through death were not permitted to marry thier dead wifes sister,until by Act of Parliment the     "Desceased wifes ,sisters marriage Act" Was passed and approved in 1907 by Govermemt Legistration .
A similar Bill was passed in1932 permitting wifes to marry brothers of thier desceased husbands, before that date it was not permitted.
On the second question, what detail was on the Marriage Certifiate for the legal marriage. I quote. Francis John Davies,  Age 54 years, Widower.  Sophia Dudley,  Age 44 years Spinster. This marriage took place in 1914.