Convicts to Australia 1835

[Marglos]

If a man received a life sentence and was deported  as above,
would his wife be free to marry again, after divorce?

Thanks you,
Marglos

[Robert Coble]

divorce

[Ruskie]

I don't think they would divorce in those days. But I imagine both would often remarry. 

[Marglos]

Thanks Ruskie,
So their marriage was finished with this sentence and he never came back.
I've got him, John Overall, travelling on The Royal Sovereign on 25th July 1835.
He then  lived in many parts of Australia.
I'm glad to have your help.
Regards,
Marglos

   

[yorkshire liz]

Before 1858 an Act of Parliament was required to obtain a divorce, so it was only for the very rich and powerful.  Even after this date only the rich could afford the lawyers necessary, and the grounds for divorce were so heavily weighted in favour of the husband that I doubt very much whether his being transported would count as grounds!  However, if a wife left behind in England had not heard from him for seven years she was legally entitled to assume he was dead and remarry as a widow.

In the Colonies I belive they were much more relaxed about remarriage.  It was in the authorities' interests to have people married and settled down so they tended to turn a blind eye to the spouse on the other side of the world.

Best wishes
Liz