Declared dead after 7 years !! where would I look for information

[JeannieR]

My grandmother's first husband , David Edward Morgan Branwood , was a Mariner , out of Liverpool.......I understood that he died circa 1903 , but have never been able to verify this......

I have come into contact with some one researching the same person , same age etc , who married HER grandmother in 1928......

I remember my mother saying that  my grandmother had to have David "declared" dead , after he was missing , I believe 7 years, so that she could marry my grandfather in 1915......

Where would information of this type be kept ? and would I be able to obtain access to it ?

I am beginning to wonder if he (David) deserted Gran , and returned to Liverpool many years later

Any Ideas grately appreciated

JeannieR

[RJ_Paton]

Divorce was expensive, declaration of death was also expensive and required a considerable degree of proof

Specifically, the common law courts would presume a missing person to be deceased only if all the following circumstances were proven:
a) the person had been absent for at least seven years;
b) during those seven years, the person had not contacted the persons he or she would normally contact;
c) all reasonable enquiries have been made as to the person’s whereabouts; and
d) all these reasonable enquiries were to no avail.

Bigamy was extremely common (and much cheaper) although if caught the punishment from the courts was severe and could mean several years in prison.

The court records of the area your relative lived in could hold the key to your problem and it is possible that they are held at Kew.

[JeannieR]

Thank you for that Falkyrn

I knew someone on the site would come up with something !!

I will look into it further , as I feel sure this lady in America is talking about the same person .

My grandmother married for the first time in 1901 , had a baby girl in 1902....unfortunately , the little girl died in 1903 , registered 2nd of July of that year . On the 24th of July , the word deceased was added under the father's name , and a note to that effect is written in the margin......

It is very strange that someone else has a guy with the same name , of the same age , career . etc who has emerged in 1928

Thank you for your help.....think I will have another look through the death indexes for 1903 !!

JeannieR

[Paul E]

Hi Jeannie

Its interesting that it was possible to get the death or birth entry annotated so quickly with the word 'deceased' isn't it, and then to possibly have to wait years to make a formal declaration!  Different standards of evidence needed, I suppose. 

How wonderful if you can find step-relatives abroad (but not so wonderful for your deserted grandmother, left to pick up the pieces on her own ).

Hope you keep us posted as you find more - its fascinating!

cheers

Paul