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Independent Islands => Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, Sark => Topic started by: Sueann55 on Tuesday 19 October 21 19:39 BST (UK)
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Can anyone help?
I have found a marriage in St Helier in 1871 between Fred Smart from Northumberland and Ann Wright from Bradford.
Fred was previously married to Ann's sister who died in 1864.
In England at the time this would have been illegal (until Deceased Wife's Sisters Marriage Act in 1907.
Was this allowed in Jersey and is this why they went there?
Thank you
Sue
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The following is mentioned in the Marriage With A Deceased Wife's Sister Bill — (No 51) Volume 245: debated on Tuesday 6 May 1879
"Such marriages are practically legal in the whole Canadian Dominion, the West Indies, and, it is believed, entire Channel Islands".
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/1879-05-06/debates/a05758fa-a953-445d-83ec-fef5cfca2237/MarriageWithADeceasedWifeSSisterBill%E2%80%94(No51)
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Thank you brilliant
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The following is mentioned in the Marriage With A Deceased Wife's Sister Bill — (No 51) Volume 245: debated on Tuesday 6 May 1879
"Such marriages are practically legal in the whole Canadian Dominion, the West Indies, and, it is believed, entire Channel Islands".
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/1879-05-06/debates/a05758fa-a953-445d-83ec-fef5cfca2237/MarriageWithADeceasedWifeSSisterBill%E2%80%94(No51)
Yes Not unusual, or illegal in Jersey. It was done to keep family unit together after the death of a child's mother, and they could be cared for by their aunt. Jersey has completely different laws to the uk, and until today its not part of uk or great Britain.