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!