Bigamous marriage/divorce proceedings Lancashire WAIN v LOWE

[OzzieJoan]

My Grand Aunt Clara Hetty (GREGORY) LOWE married Wilfred WAIN in Wigan 8c/142 June qt.1920 following the death in WWI of her husband, John Thomas LOWE.

From here it is family lore. Wilfred was still married to a lady shown here:

Groom name: Wilfred Wain
Groom age in years: 40
Groom estimated birth year: 1875
Bride name: Alice M. Keeley
Bride age in years: 38
Bride estimated birth year: 1877
Event type: Marriage
Marriage date: 19 May 1915
Marriage place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Film number: 1030596
Digital GS number: 4272391
Image number: 89
Reference number: 695788
Collection: Illinois, Cook County Marriages 1871-1920

*************************************************************

Where would I look to find any information on a possible divorce. WAIN and Clara certainly parted company shortly after the marriage but I would like to know the circumstances, did he go to jail, or manage to flee back to the US?

Thanks, OzzieJoan

[whiteout7]

I can't see a Wilfred Wain born about 1875 (+/- 5 years) in the 1939 register, so maybe he returned to the US

You can see Clara in the 1939 register using her surname of "Lowe"

She would not have had to go through the process of divorce from Wilfred Wain because if he was married already this makes his marriage to her "invalid" in the eyes of the law from day one.

So you might not find anything.

[mckha489]

There are a lot of bigamy cases reported in the Newspapers, but none for This couple that I can see.

[JenB]

Interestingly a William Wain born c. 1875 attested for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in 1915, in Chicago. He stated that his birthplace was Wigan, and that he was unmarried.

His next of kin was his daughter Gertrude Ellen Wain, living in Wigan.

Gertrude Ethel Ellen Wain was born in Wigan in 1896, mother's maiden name Bithell.

There is a potential Wigan marriage in 1896 between a Wilfred Wain and an Ethel Bithell.

I might have a different Wilfred Wain, but if it's the same one, was the Chicago marriage also bigamous?

.

[JenB]

I might have a different Wilfred Wain, but if it's the same one, was the Chicago marriage also bigamous?

Answering my own question, no. It looks like Ethel died in Wigan in 1897, aged 20.

[OzzieJoan]

Thanks to each of you for giving me different bits to sort out.
I really have nothing more than his marriage to Clara and the fact that he had an American accent to go on. Perhaps the bigamy was not with anyone in US but with the Ethel Bithell lady.

The only other positive thing I have is a photo of him and Clara, possibly taken on their wedding day.

I did have the feeling that the marriage would have been annulled rather than having a divorce. But in that case would a marriage certificate still be obtainable? If so, I could see if that gives any other clues but he could have lied about anything so perhaps not a lot of value in getting it.

I have relations in Wigan who might be able to find out a bit more for me but they work and are a bit restricted in time to spend on this.

Jen: You've got 2 different names, Gertrude Ellen and Gertrude Ethel are they 2 different women? I'm just a bit confused. Actually, I've been struggling with this and other FH bits all day and I think I need to give it a rest before I implode 

Thank you all for what you have sent me. I have copied it to look at more closely later.

Joan

[JenB]

Jen: You've got 2 different names, Gertrude Ellen and Gertrude Ethel are they 2 different women? I'm just a bit confused.

Apologies, the correct name in both cases is Gertrude Ellen, and I've amended my posting.

It seems likely, from the details of his occupation on the Army Attestation and the 1920 marriage, that this was the same Wilfred Wain.

 

Perhaps the bigamy was not with anyone in US but with the Ethel Bithell lady.

No, because as I pointed out earlier, it looks like Ethel died in 1897.

[JenB]

If so, I could see if that gives any other clues but he could have lied about anything so perhaps not a lot of value in getting it.

Here you are:

11 February 1920, St George, Wigan

Wilfred Wain, 45, widower, house painter, 116 Millgate, father Samuel Wain, Carpenter
Clara Hetty Lowe, widow, 770 Wigan Road, Westhoughton, father Roger Gregory, deceased, grocer

Witnesses; John Taylor, Sarah Shaw.

[JenB]

My Grand Aunt Clara Hetty (GREGORY) LOWE married Wilfred WAIN in Wigan 8c/142 June qt.1920 following the death in WWI of her husband, John Thomas LOWE.

From here it is family lore. Wilfred was still married to a lady shown here:

Groom name: Wilfred Wain
Groom age in years: 40
Groom estimated birth year: 1875
Bride name: Alice M. Keeley

So presumably you have proof that Alice was still alive at the time of the 1920 marriage?