Albert John WALKER, coachman, of Kensington

[Valda]

Hi

Divorce documents as serious legal documents created through an expensive process would have to be exact. They must have the correct names. You couldn't divorce someone using an incorrect name since you would also be producing the original marriage certificate. It gives no indication in the divorce index that Alfred John Walker was also known as Albert John/Jacob Walker.

Only the wealthy or those in business could afford divorce and people who could afford divorce didn't necessarily marry in this country in the first place and live here consistently - army families for instance.

If Laura was the woman who lived with Charles Hixon but had gone through an expensive divorce, why would she not marry Charles?

It is always better to try and view divorce papers at The National Archives since there are lots of papers which go with them, most of which you don't actually need or are repetitive. TNA cannot decide for you what papers you want copied and so will quote for all of them which makes it more expensive than necessary.


Regards

Valda

[LenD]

Thanks Valda

I take your point and the same thought had occurred to me. On this occasion I took the plunge as it is a new experience for me and I am interested to see what they provide. I will let you know...and thanks again for all your help and advice.

Len

[LenD]

Well done, Jorose. That lead really paid off.

The divorce petition was filed on behalf of Laura WALKER (nee WESTON) and the respondent was Albert John WALKER. So the reference to Alfred was just bad indexing. The decree was made absolute on 11 August 1885 some thirteen years after the marriage during which time Albert John and Mary Ann lived together as man and wife. As the respondent was condemned to pay the costs of the petitioner it must have been a nasty shock for him. Within two years of this Albert John is believed to have died and I wonder if he got around to paying the costs?

As you suggested Valda I have ordered copies of the Birth Certificates for Ada's nearest siblings, Arthur and Percy and we will see if these reveal anything further.

[Valda]

Hi

It proves even TNA is not immune from poor indexing.

Both couples would be free to marry. You might in particular expect Laura to do so and it would be interesting to see if she did, who it was. Someone had to fund the divorce case.


Regards

Valda

[LenD]

 Albert John WALKER ,as respondent in the divorce suit, was condemned to meet the costs of the petitioner and I suspect was unlikely to have the money. What would have been the procedure to get him to pay?

If he was unable to pay would he have faced trial and imprisonment? Could this be an explanation for my failure to find his death recorded anywhere? His "wife" electing to describe him as deceased in 1887 rather than attract the stigma associated with  imprisonment.

Is it possible to find whether he paid or was proceeded against?

[Valda]

Hi

You are beyond the days when insolvent debtors were sent to prison until they could pay their debts. That ended in 1869. Claiming and receiving damages for divorce was standard on divorce papers. Like divorce pusuing the claims would be a civil affair not a criminal one. Pusuing through the courts (Chancery) would be an expensive process and one of throwing good money away if the person couldn't pay in the first place.

If Albert John wasn't dead by 1887 you are still left with the issue there is no record of him dying later. I wouldn't have thought it was a 'great' stigma for a working class man to be insolvent. Most working class families were not exactly ever very far from the prospect of debt since it rested on the health of the family wage earner/s and if that failed they would have to turn to poor law for relief.

Who was the law firm that acted on behalf of Laura for the divorce?


Regards

Valda

[LenD]

Hello Valda

Yes I see that there would be no point in throwing good money after bad.

Not too sure about the stigma of insolvency amongst the working class. My parents would have starved rather than go into debt (in the 1930s).

The law firm handling the divorce proceedings was Toulmin-Smith & Fuller of Selbourne Chambers, 114a Chancery Lane, WC. The petition was filed on 15 October 1884 and the decree absolute was dated 11 August 1885.

Regards

LenD

[Valda]

Hi

My grandparents were very fearful of the workhouse. I'm sure equally they would have done everything they could to avoid debt because of the consequences which was your family split up and placed into the poor law system.

I was hoping the law firm's name/names might give a clue to Laura, since in reality lawyers were not altruistic and didn't take on working class divorce charity cases.

Is there an address for Laura?

The divorce date narrows the time gap with Albert John therefore still alive 11th August 1885 and dead by the time of ada's birth or her birth registration (which ever?) Is Albert John's then address given on the divorce papers - still Kensington and no further information about his employment?

If the time gap is very short it makes it possible to request a search from a local registry office.


Regards

Valda

[LenD]

Hello again

Laura's address at the time the petition was logged was 2 Albert Street, Paddington.

Ada's birth on 9 August 1887 was at 16 Holland Mews and as you know father is stated to be Albert John Walker (deceased), occupation again coachman.

Albert John (and Mary Ann)'s address cited in the divorce papers was 6 Kensington Place and that was their address at the 1881 census and likely to have been his current address at the time of the divorce petition. Arthur's birth certificate should confirm this when it reaches me. Co-incidentally, Laura and Charles Hixon were to live at 10 Kensington Place but by this time Mary Ann had moved elsewhere in Kensington.

Incidentally I believe that I have found the marriage of Laura and Charles and will confirm this when the certificate I have ordered arrives.

Back to Albert John's likely death date, it seems to be narrowed down to the period August 1885 -August 1887. We can I suppose safely assume that he was alive at the time of the divorce proceedings? Would the proceedings be accessible online?


LenD