Remarriage while husband in asylum ?

[stanmapstone]

It was under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1937 that incurable insanity became grounds for divorce
From 1600 to the present a marriage could be annulled if either of the parties was incapable of consummating the marriage which had to have existed at the time the wedding took place, in which case the marriage is ‘voidable’
Stan

[brigidmac]

Thanks for all your comments
Yes girl guide  that must be the  marriage to Sarah Williamson ...so it would have been bigamous unless she managed to get a divorce .

I don't think they were rich because  many of the children went into service

[HughC]

Thank you, Stan.
Did being locked away indefinitely count as desertion?  Dot had refused to let him live with her after his discharge from the army, which I suppose could also have been construed as desertion.
Or could the divorce have been granted on the grounds of cruelty? (attacking one's wife with a knife is not exactly a kind way to treat her, and Broadmoor is/was a "hospital for the criminally insane")
Unfortunately I don't have access to newspaper reports, though I rather doubt the grounds would have been mentioned.

[stanmapstone]

Under the Matrimonial Clauses Act 1857, apparently a woman could only obtain a divorce on the grounds of desertion if it was of two years duration and coupled with adultery.

Stan

[brigidmac]

Wee Hugh it sounds as tho Dots husband may have found himself in quarter sessions

I've looked for Charles and Sarah on ancestry and family search so far no evidence of court case .

Maybe she passed herself off as widow to become a housekeeper possibly no one knew husband one was still alive
I wonder if they had banns before the marriage..

[Girl Guide]

It may be interesting to obtain the Mason/Williamson marriage cert. to see what Sarah describes her condition as, widow or even single.

[Girl Guide]

Not 100% sure but this may be Charles's death. 

I see that he was in the Beverley registration district in the 1911 census.  Birth place given as Pocklington but the 1901 census has it as Leavening which is part of the Malton registration district.

Deaths Dec 1931   
Williamson    Charles    73    Beverley    9d   116

Gives a birth year of 1858 but if he died before his birthday then 1857.  Is this his birth registration?

WILLIAMSON, CHARLES       BELLERBY 
GRO Reference: 1857  D Quarter in MALTON UNION  Volume 09D  Page 297
 

[brigidmac]

Looks likely girl guide
Census ,1881 + 1891 also give birth place as Leavening

Marriage 1880 and residence for childrens births was kirby underdale york

Asylum was in walkington

[brigidmac]

Im not sure how Close these locations are

Im hoping to find Wedding bans for the Williamson children see if they list their father as deceased...

Sarah mary b 1882
John   ,1884
Annie 1885
henry 1887
Robert 1890