Ann MORRIS - did she marry her dead husband's brother?

[Newfloridian]

I have been studying the Morris family of Gretton - and have the following details.

William Morris married Ann Boon on July 25th 1861. He was about 25 years her senior.

William was the oldest of the 10 children of Samuel Morris and Susannah Goldstone.
William died in Gretton in 1873 - and, as far as I can tell, left no issue.

William had a brother, Alfred (born about 1826), who married Sarah [--?--] from Deptford, Kent and had four sons and a daughter. In 1871, the family were living in Dartmoor Road Kensington and Alfred was an Ironmonger's clerk.

Sarah died sometime in the early 1870s.  1881 sees Alfred at 21, Portland Road, Kensington now with Ann Morris who, he declares on the census, to be his wife.

In 1891 Alfred and Ann Morris are back in Gretton in Lawn Cottages (presumably on the corner of Craxford Lane). They remain together with various visiting members of his family in 1901. Alfred died in 1905. In both returns Alfred describes Ann as his wife. Ann is living by herself at the time of the 1911 census.

I have been unable to find a marriage reference to confirm that Ann married her dead husband's brother. (There is a marriage between an Alfred Morris and an Ann Morris in 1877 but not this pair)

Any help would be gratefully received.

Alan

[suzard]

this looks like Alfred's 1st marriage reg
Dec qtr 1852 Strand
on same page
Alfred Morris
Sarah Bassett
1b 553

there is a record that the marriage took place 30 Dec 1852 St Annes Soho

possibly Sarah's death reg
Sarah Morris
age49
Jun qtr 1871
Kensington
1a 55

there is this marriage
Jun qtr 1874
Leicester
on same page
Alfred Morris
Ann Morris
7a 396

possibly?? It was not legal to marry your brother's widow at that time (many did) so maybe they went out of the area because of that

Suz

[Newfloridian]

That's certainly something to look into. GRO here we come again 

Further info on PM

Many thanks

Alan

[Newfloridian]

Well, the results are in (Marriage certificate received today) and

YES: Ann Morris did marry her dead husband's brother. Your reference, Suz, was the correct one

Cheers Alan

[Newfloridian]

... also of note: Alfred Morris was a widower; Ann was a widow - and they married in St Mary's Church, Leicester (June 23rd 1874)

[Newfloridian]

A little further reading:

The list of forbidden marriages drawn up by the Church of England in 1560 includes:

A man may not marry his brother's wife (or the corollary a woman may not marry her husband's brother).

This was repealed (somewhat oddly) in part for the woman by the Marriage Act 1907 so long as the first spouse was dead. It was repealed for the man by the Marriage Act 1921 again so long as the brother was deceased.

[suzard]

Well, the results are in (Marriage certificate received today) and

YES: Ann Morris did marry her dead husband's brother. Your reference, Suz, was the correct one

Cheers Alan

Pleased that was the correct marriage

Suz