Defining BIGAMY in 1920 Australia re Lunatic asylum resident spouse

[Stevie8485]

Hopefully I'm doing this correctly .  In 1920 in Australia, would it be legal for a female spouse of a  living male resident in a lunatic asylum to re-marry or would that be bigamy. Thank you.

[jorose]

It would be considered bigamy, although from around this time, "lunacy" became grounds for divorce:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4587767

[Stevie8485]

Many thanks for such a quick response and info.

[Peter L. Mitchell]

You might find more information if you search the Public Records Office records for your state. The PROV (Victoria) has a large collection of documents, and you can go in and see and photograph them. I'd imagine that access to other states' records would be the same. Worth a try. Good luck with your search.

[Stevie8485]

Thank you for your suggestion .. I'm a UK resident but certainly worth checking them online. 

[giblet]

You could try the marriage certificate for her second marriage and see what she noted as her status, such as divorced etc.

[Stevie8485]

You could try the marriage certificate for her second marriage and see what she noted as her status, such as divorced etc.

Thank you, she is given as 'widow' but her husband was alive and in the lunatic asylum - hence wondering if that was sufficient to permit her to remarry, but the dates look skewed against it.