divorce

[jrosecat]

Can anyone tell me if there is any way that I can find details of divorce? I have looked on Ancestry.co.uk and they don't seem to really have many divorces on there. I wondered if there was another site that might be more helpful. My grandparents were divorced and the father had custody of the children.. he was William John Willmott and she was Beatrice Elizabeth Sallis.

[KGarrad]

The National Archives or the Principal Registry.

Start here:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/divorce.htm

[dawnsh]

Hi

Whaqt time frame are we talking about?

The National Archives has this

This is the guide from TNA:

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

You can search on there upto 1937.

After that, very few case records survive after that date.

If money is no object you can pay £60 for a 10 year search here

http://www.expertsforparents.co.uk/sites/default/files/d440_request_for_decree_absolute_search.pdf

but all you'll get, if they find the entry in that 10 yr period, is an a4 shhet of paper with the parties names, the date of marriage and the date of the decree absolute. Never any case papers. If you want to extend the search for another 10yrs, it will cost another £60

The index that HMCTS use is not available online.

Dawn

[jrosecat]

Thank you for prompt reply Dawn, don't think I want to pay £10... but will check out the site....think it was about 1920 ish..

[jrosecat]

£60 !! misread the post   

[KGarrad]

You can do a free search of the indexes at that website I mentioned (TNA).
That will at least give you a date!

[GrahamSimons]

Found in the TNA catalogue (search restricted to series code 77, search term willmott)

J 77/1741/4206 Divorce Court File: 4206. Appellant: William John Willmott. Respondent: Beatrice elizabeth Willmott. Co-respondent: George Waddell. Type: Husband's petition for divorce [hd]. 1920

I've explored these files a bit, some are more fruitful than others. They are not on line, you need to go to TNA or get someone to go for you. With any luck you'll have a copy of the marriage certificate, the original pleading for the divorce, and some affidavits to substantiate the allegations in the pleading. Might also have costs and custody orders.

Good luck!

[nanny jan]

Hi,

If you can't get to Kew then you can request a quote for copying and posting the documents to you.  I found one a couple of years ago, lots of very interesting items, and total cost for copying and postage was under £10.

Nanny Jan

[jrosecat]

thank you everyone for the help, as I live in Spain I will let my cousin know and she will be able to follow it up as she lives near London...once again thanks everyone.xx