Did he serve time in prison.

[eric]

Hello,
Can any please help me please solve this problem? Grandfather Francis John Davies born 1859 married two sisters, The first sister Sarah Annctt Dudley died in 1895.  He probably marred the younger sister Sophia Dudley in the period 1902 to 1904, which would be an illegal marriage according to"Canon Law" this was not changed until an Act of Parlament in 1907. They would have been living in the Llanfechain/ Newtown area of Montgomeryshire at the time.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Regards, Eric.

[Willow 4873]

Hiya Eric

Probably not

It happened a lot and unless someone actually reported the matter nothing seemed to be done about it. You will usually find they married in a different church to the first one or it was the same church with a different vicar who wasn't aware of the first marriage

My GGGrandfather married two sisters and I haven't found anything about him serving time. I think it was also a case of the second marriage being declared 'null and void' if it was reported but they appear on the census living together and producing children

The children were baptised which I think might have been an issue if the marriage was dissolved

Willow x

[nanny jan]

Hi Eric,

Could this be the marriage:

Francis J Davies   Sept 1914   Newtown    11b 253

 bride:  Sophia Dudley



Nanny Jan

[behindthefrogs]

If you read the detail of Cannon Law in areas such as this you will find that although they should not have been permitted to marry, once they are married it is a lot more lax about doing anything about it.

David

[Gadget]

Hi Eric,

Could this be the marriage:

Francis J Davies   Sept 1914   Newtown    11b 253

 bride:  Sophia Dudley



Nanny Jan

The North Wales BMD has this as Francis John Davies and Sophia Dudley. It was a 'civil marriage' and, as it was after 1907, I don't think there would have been a problem.

A nice little summary chart and dates of changes is given here:

http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html


Gadget 

[eric]

Hello Willow X, Nanny Jan, David Behindthefrogs and Gadget.
Many thanks for your replies and the effort you have all gone too.
 I think I probably did not give sufficient information on my first request for help. I do not think Grand Mother Sophia Dudley and Francis John Davies's four children by  his first marriage to Sophia's sister,  would not have faced the humiliation of going to the workhouse in Bridgnorth, a position they were in some eighteen months later, after him losing his position as Headmaster and she losing her position as school teacher if there was not some element of truth in our believe that he may have been in prisoned.  They both regaining there positions as Headmaster and School Teacher after their Leagal marriage in 1914, again at a Church School in Penegos, Machynllyth.
Is there any way I can find the answer to this little problem?
Regards, Eric.

[Willow 4873]

Hiya Eric

It might be worth looking at the local newspaper archives as there might be some mention there.

Willow x