Marrying your dead wife's sister

[Jebber]

I can't speak for Scotland, but in England it is perfectly legal for first cousins to marry, so marrying a the offspring of a cousin would  certainly be allowed.

 Jebber

[Forfarian]

My grandmother's parents were first cousins once removed, twice over, because they were both descended from a pair of brothers who married a pair of sisters.

[hdw]

My grandmother's parents were first cousins once removed, twice over, because they were both descended from a pair of brothers who married a pair of sisters.

That kind of complicated scenario is typical of two fishing villages I had ancestors in - Cellardyke in Fife, and Auchmithie in Angus. I like to think that working out who was related to whom (twice or three times over) helps to regenerate my brain-cells and keep dementia at bay.

Harry

[Forfarian]

I like to think that working out who was related to whom (twice or three times over) helps to regenerate my brain-cells and keep dementia at bay.

Quite. And that example is only part of it - the pair of sisters belonged to a family that made quite a habit of marrying cousins.

[Redroger]

There are very many instances in English villages in the 19th century of marriages outside the permitted limits. To such an extent that I am at least my own 4th cousin (which probably accounts for it!) I think in many cases there were far too few couples in a community for the Church rules on relationship to be observed; and it is apparent that many vicars (and Free Church Ministers) turned a blind eye to the requirements.
In towns and cities the rule would have been far easier to evade.
I remember when I was a teenager a friend of mine started a relationship with his niece; they got on well and everything seemed to be progressing. Things were stopped by his mother and the girl's grandmother (same person of course) who as a church person insisted that the relationship was illegal in the eyes of God! The local vicar hadn't noticed.

[Mike in Cumbria]

..the relationship was illegal in the eyes of God.

And in the eyes of the law too (at least a marriage would be illegal). I don't know whether incest is actually a crime or not.

Edit  - just checked, and it is illegal, punishable by up to 2 years in prison

[Redroger]

Thanks, I had realised that but the legal situation is a little more complex. According to a recent letter from Anthony Joseph Emeritus President Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain in Family Tree an Uncle /Niece marriage is allowable under Jewish Law; but NOT an Aunt/Nephew marriage. Though an Uncle/Niece marriage is illegal under English Law, if the marriage has taken place overseas the couple can live together in the UK lawfully as husband and wife.

That is one situation clearly shown, i would expect there are others emanating from other faiths.

[terianne]

Scottish law - you can marry your first cousin and marry your late sisters/brothers spouse

English law - first cousin marriage are discouraged by are legal - marrying you sister/brother spouse was legal up to around 17/18 century - legislation was repealed in the 1950's/60's.

Uncle/niece & aunt/nephew marriage would depend on the blood link for instance if the Uncle or Aunt married into a family there is no blood link.

[Redroger]

Scottish law - you can marry your first cousin and marry your late sisters/brothers spouse

English law - first cousin marriage are discouraged by are legal - marrying you sister/brother spouse was legal up to around 17/18 century - legislation was repealed in the 1950's/60's.

I knew of a case around 60 years ago in Boston where identical twin brothers married identical twin sisters. Hopefully their offspring( if any) did not repeat the process.