The divorce records are a set of registers of decrees nisi and absolute, with their indexes. These are kept by the Principal Registry of the Family Division (PRFD), and are not accessible by the public. Instead, officials will carry out a paid search of the index, and certified copies of the decrees can be bought. You can contact them at:Principal Registry of the Family DivisionFirst Avenue House42-49 High HolbornLondonWC2V 6NPTel: 020 7947 6971 or (international) +44 7947 6971
3. Case papers in divorce filesFor each suit, case files were created, identified by year and a number. Very few survive from 1938 onwards. Case files are now destroyed 20 years after the divorce. If you are within the 20 year period, you can apply to the relevant court for permission to see the file.Older case files can be seen at The National Archives, in J 77 , indexed by J 78 . The index can also be seen at the Family Records Centre. * 1858-1927: almost all survive * 1928-1937: 80% survive (files from the district registries have been destroyed: they are not indexed by J 78) * 1938-date: most have been destroyed. A very small annual sample has been kept, subject to 30-year closure: the sample is searchable on the Catalogue, using the surname as the search term and restrict the search to J 77. A further 2% random sample is in J 132 , for cases where the Official Solicitor acted for one of the parties: these are subject to a 75 year or longer closure.Case files contain the petition, copies of any relevant certificate, affidavits - and also a further copy of the decrees nisi and absolute (from about 1870). Most have been stripped of other material, but a few were kept complete, to show all stages of a suit. If there is a previous or later petition, a cross-reference is given on the file cover.
