divorce in the 1920's

[maggiewhiteley]

Hi,
I have just received copies of my grandparents divorce papers from 1923.  He divorced my nan for various reasons one of them in his first afidavid that he was not the father of a boy child born to her, but the court ordered him to strike that from his afidavid along with another paragraph.  Does this mean the court did not believe him.  Why would they order this to be done before they would entertain his application?

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

No DNA testing at the time, so it would be very difficult to prove?

[Sandymc47]

Hi Maggie

Welcome to Rootschat.
Not well up on divorce but to divorce in the 1920's strict criteria
was applied.  If the mans reason was that the child was not his,
he had to prove his wife had committed adultery.  Maybe he could
not provide enough information. You had to prove the bad behaviour.
Maybe he received more information after the first affidivit?
You could also get a divorce for desertion of over 2 years, cruelty.
Similar to what they have now but equal eqality between the two
people whereas in 1920 they wife would find it hard to not be divorced
had she no money etc.  It cost alot in those days.
I am sure some expert will come on to add to your knowledge.
Hope you enjoy the site

regards Sandymc

[KGarrad]

Divorce laws changed sometime in the 1920's, making a divorce easier.

My grandfather divorced his 2nd wife in 1925!

[nanny jan]

Hi,

There was a certain amount of help available for women;  I have 1 in my tree    who was classed as  "forma pauperis".  That divorce was in 1904.


Nanny Jan