Bigamous marriages

[1pds]

Hi all,

I have a female relative in the early 20C who married a man who was still married.  I can find the record of the wedding on FreeBMD. 

Does anyone know if there are records to show that such a union was annulled?   If so, where might I find them?

Thanks in advance,

Phil.

[PaulineJ]

How did you 'prove' that it is the same man just looking at freebmd.
It could just be a namesake.

Pauline

[GrahamSimons]

This might help:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/divorce-after-1858.htm

[1pds]

Hi Pauline,

I have living a relative account of the event, and can find on FreeBMD an entry for my G Grandmother being wed on the same district, volume and page number as the person it is claimed had married bigamously.

Phil

[1pds]

Pauline, sorry, that's not very clear...

I can find my GG mother on FreeBMD being married to someone called James O'Connor.  The entry gives a District, Spouse Name, Volume and Page Number.  When I look at James O'Connors recrds on FreeBMD it show he married someone with the same name as my GG mother at the same time and the entry is in the same District, has the same Spouse Name, Volume and Page number.  VCoupled to this I have a living relative who told me about the bigamous marriage prior to me looking on FreeBMD.

I guess it's not "proof", but that's what I'm basing it one...

Kind Regards, Phil.

[1pds]

Thanks Graham, I'll investigate the National Archives site tomorrow.  Phil

[aghadowey]

Reply #3 has confused me but perhaps I'm not reading it correctly.

As an example-
Lets call your great-grandmother Mary Smith for now.
FreeBMD lists a Mary Smith marriage Jan/Mar 1914 London v.2 p.3 with a James O'Connor on same page.
FreeBMD lists a James O'Connor marriage Jan/Mar 1914 v.2 p.3 with a Mary Smith on same page.
Is this what you are saying?

If so, there are usually more than one couple on the same page in the register so unless the marriage it after the time when surname of spouse appears on the index (c1912?) you can't be sure which bride married which groom from the index alone.

[1pds]

Hi,

The date is early 1920s, after the date when spouse names appear on the index (c1912).  There are no other O'Connors listed (nor my GG Mother's name listed) so I'm assume the bride must be my GG Mother and the groom Mr O'Connor!  My living relative also confirms the details - he is doing so from memory of family conversations, at 90 years + he doesn't surf the net so I think his testimony is accurate.

Phil

[aghadowey]

A bit clearer now but not quite sure I understand what you are saying.

The groom is James O'Connor and the index gives spouse's surname. You then say "(nor my GG Mother's name listed) so I'm assume the bride must be my GG Mother". Either she is listed in the index as James O'Connor's marriage or she isn't