Regarding a man marrying a sister of his deceased wife. It wasn't allowed in England until late 19th century. A few well-off widowers went abroad to marry a sister-in-law. Less wealthy widowers arranged a wedding in a parish where they weren't known, perhaps a large town or city.
A widow wasn't allowed to marry her deceased husband's brother until 1921.
When a man and woman married they became "one flesh", so in a sense, the wife's sister became the husband's sister too.
Amendment. Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907. Deceased Brother's Widow's Marriage Bill 1921.
I don't know if the 1921 Act became law before or after Irish independence and if it applied there or not. There used to be different marriage laws in 3 of the 4 countries of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. What was legal in one country might not be legal in another.
The matter of widowers marrying their sisters-in-law was discussed several time in Parliament in 19th century.
Btw, a Catholic vicar-general is similar to an Anglican archdeacon. A vicar general has to hold a doctorate or licentiate in canon law. My ancestor's cousin had the title Doctor. His full title was the Very Reverend Doctor but he preferred Doctor. Although English, he studied for the priesthood at Maynooth. He came top of his class in a couple of subjects one year, so he was "brainy".
