Author Topic: Were They Divorced?  (Read 1322 times)

Offline John Laidler

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Were They Divorced?
« on: Thursday 06 December 18 16:00 GMT (UK) »
I have a marriage certificate for a Catholic marriage in 1943. Both parties subsequently remarried, one in 1948 and the other a few years later.

What I can't find in the online records is any record of a divorce. Can anyone suggest if there are any other sources of information to find a record of a divorce around 1945 plus or minus a year or two? It would almost certainly have occurred in England I think.

Offline Jebber

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 06 December 18 16:10 GMT (UK) »
You  need  to read the TNA guide to divorce records.

If you purchase one of the second marriage certificates it should tell that there was a previous divorce and from whom.
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Offline John Laidler

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 06 December 18 16:20 GMT (UK) »
You  need  to read the TNA guide to divorce records.

If you purchase one of the second marriage certificates it should tell that there was a previous divorce and from whom.
Thank you, there is no record of a divorce on the second marriage certificate.  The "Condition" of the previously married women is described as "Spinster". Should it say "Divorced" or something like that?
A quick check suggests it might cost me £65 to fill in a Form D440 as I don't know where the divorce was done - if it ever was!

Offline Jebber

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 06 December 18 16:36 GMT (UK) »
It should say divorced, I have several that name the previous spouse.

 I also have one where the couple separated, the husband remarried declaring himself to be a bachelor, thus committing bigamy, he emigrated whispers his new “wife”.  The first wife knowing she was still married, simply cohabited and used a false name when registering her two children.
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.


Offline iolaus

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 06 December 18 17:49 GMT (UK) »
However I believe if the wedding was ANNULED rather than ending in divorce it's as if it never existed and therefore spinster would be right

Offline John Laidler

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #5 on: Friday 07 December 18 10:52 GMT (UK) »
However I believe if the wedding was ANNULED rather than ending in divorce it's as if it never existed and therefore spinster would be right
Thank you, although I have read the GRO wouldn't send out a copy of the first marriage certificate (which they have) if the marriage was annulled. I may be wrong of course!

Online dowdstree

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #6 on: Friday 07 December 18 11:03 GMT (UK) »
What if either party was already married when the 1943 wedding took place this marriage would be bigamous and would therefore never have existed.

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Offline bevj

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 08 December 18 19:54 GMT (UK) »
I would have thought that the chances of a Catholic couple getting divorced in the 1940's were pretty slim.
If the events all took place in the same area, maybe the Catholic Archdiocese of that area would have some records.

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Offline Daisypetal

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Re: Were They Divorced?
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 15 December 18 21:56 GMT (UK) »

Hi,

It's possible that there would be a report in a newspaper. You could try looking at FindMyPast or

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/


Let us know if the marriage was not in England and we might be able to find other resources.


Regards,
Daisy
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