Author Topic: Bigamy  (Read 4618 times)

Offline DUNMAC

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Bigamy
« on: Monday 21 July 08 00:08 BST (UK) »
Hi,
       Just found out that my Grandmother's sister Annie Laird Murphy1886 Falkirk married a James Burley in 1922 and lived in Glen Yards, Bonnybridge but Annie died in 1927 of Fever in Falkirk. I searched in Bonnybridge for children and found three, the last born 1928, which led to a search for a third wife. The wife I then found was the fourth Sarah McDermott or Nally, this document had an RCE note and on getting this I discovered  that James had been convicted of Bigamy as he had married a Margaret Sorley later in Edinburgh 1927 after my connections death. On James's D.C. in 1948 it states his widow was Margaret Sorley and they lived in 36 Linden Road, Alloa. As Margaret Sorley also lived in Bonnybridge at the time of their marriage, does anyone know where or what newspaper this would probably been reported in. They married 09/11/1928 and he was in court in Glasgow by  23/11/1928,  how do I go about researching this exciting turn of events?
                                                                   Cheers,
                                                                        Dunmac.

P.S. Heard from N.A.S. and the case was tried at the sheriff court in Glasgow, James pled guilty as charged and was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.
Glasgow Sheriff Court records of criminal trials book (criminal jury cases) of May 1928 to December 1928( Ref no. SC36/56/153pg. 539, Indictment no. 138 ).
" No. 138 James Burley, Prisoner in the Prison of Glasgow, you are Indicted at the instance of the Right Honourable William Watson, His Majesty's Advocate, and the charge against you is that being the lawful husband of Margaret Sorley or Burley, 93 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, and she being still alive, you did on the 9th of November 1928, at 19 Howard Street, Glasgow, bigamously marry Sarah McDermott or Nally, 23 Gordon Street, Clydebank, Dumbartonshire, and did cohabit with her as her husband.

On James's death certificate, his wife was noted as Margaret Sorley who was the informant, Margaret had taken him back after his release from prison. (Aside, he died at 56years from a Duodenal Ucer, I wonder why!) What was strange about the whole matter was that James had only taken Margaret as wife in 1927, so why jump ship after a year, first two marriages only ended after previous wives deaths.

P.P.S. I now find that my fellow researcher, ex Falkirk girl, was related to Margaret Sorley through an ex husband, small world, eh!
McDonald: Patterson: Hart: Josey: Provan: Meldrum: Murphy: McIntyre: McEachern:McColl: Cupples: Burt: McCormack: Steele: Laird: Hardie: Robertson: Easton: Sneddon: Skinner: Stark: Shaw: Sanders: Chapman, Gordon, Grant, Littlejohn,  McLeod, McHattie: Younie: Ironside: Spalding, Smith: Mathieson: Ower:
Koens.

Morvern, Argyll: Glasgow, Lanarkshire: Falkirk, & Grangemouth, Kippen, Kilsyth: Stirlingshire: Dumfries & Borders, Scotland & England:
Aberdeenshire: Morayshire: Ireland: Netherlands.

Offline daval57

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 July 08 00:36 BST (UK) »
I would imagine that since he was in court in Glasgow it would be reported in The Herald, Evening Times or Evening Citizen.  The Mitchell might have back copies on fiche??

Not sure what the local papers for Bonnybridge would have been at the time.  Perhaps the local library could help you out there.
-------------------
FORREST (Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Stirlingshire and Dunbartonshire)
ROONEY (Co Down, Co Antrim) 
BORTHWICK, FORTUNE, BARKER, SIVES (Lothians)
ANDERSON (Moray, Caithness)

Offline DUNMAC

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 July 08 06:51 BST (UK) »
Thanks for the hints Daval 57, much appreciated.
                                                                  Cheers,
                                                                        Dunmac.
McDonald: Patterson: Hart: Josey: Provan: Meldrum: Murphy: McIntyre: McEachern:McColl: Cupples: Burt: McCormack: Steele: Laird: Hardie: Robertson: Easton: Sneddon: Skinner: Stark: Shaw: Sanders: Chapman, Gordon, Grant, Littlejohn,  McLeod, McHattie: Younie: Ironside: Spalding, Smith: Mathieson: Ower:
Koens.

Morvern, Argyll: Glasgow, Lanarkshire: Falkirk, & Grangemouth, Kippen, Kilsyth: Stirlingshire: Dumfries & Borders, Scotland & England:
Aberdeenshire: Morayshire: Ireland: Netherlands.

Offline jac2

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 July 08 07:35 BST (UK) »
hi dunmac :)
try the falkirk herald
jac2 :)
jack, mitchell,lowrie murray, donaldson, forgie, anderson, corbett, spence thomson kerr plouman/plowman,  fife, midlothian, lanarkshire, moray, wick.


Offline DUNMAC

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #4 on: Monday 21 July 08 12:35 BST (UK) »
Thanks Jac2, I'll give it a go.
                                        Cheers,
                                                Dunmac.
McDonald: Patterson: Hart: Josey: Provan: Meldrum: Murphy: McIntyre: McEachern:McColl: Cupples: Burt: McCormack: Steele: Laird: Hardie: Robertson: Easton: Sneddon: Skinner: Stark: Shaw: Sanders: Chapman, Gordon, Grant, Littlejohn,  McLeod, McHattie: Younie: Ironside: Spalding, Smith: Mathieson: Ower:
Koens.

Morvern, Argyll: Glasgow, Lanarkshire: Falkirk, & Grangemouth, Kippen, Kilsyth: Stirlingshire: Dumfries & Borders, Scotland & England:
Aberdeenshire: Morayshire: Ireland: Netherlands.

Offline David_ukuk

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 05 May 20 22:55 BST (UK) »
This is a very old post now, but I am a direct descendant of Margaret Burley also know by her Maiden name Margaret Sorley...... i might as well put it out there but she had my grandfather in August 1917 out of wedlock ( I found the birth record ) and we know very Little about his childhood as he never  talked about it.... his name was John Harvey Sorley and it looks like his grandparents were Thomas and Janet Sorley brought him up until they died ?????   But we have no idea why his mother gave him up and lost contact with her son and Maybe the whole sorley family.....

And after seeing this post i was amazed as it provided so much info.....

I'd love to know what happened to her and if she had any children with James Burley. If i could find a photo of her that would be even better but I'm not getting my hopes up at all.

New to this so any insight would be greatly appreciated. 😀

Offline Pamchetland

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Re: Bigamy
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 14 June 20 17:41 BST (UK) »
Hi my name is Pam chetland and I am related to the Sorleys through my ex husband's mother her name was Margaret Sorley Caldwell if I can help you in any way just ask I have some information on them but unfortunately no photographs