Bigamy

[collin]

Hi, my great grannie married her first husband in 1884 and then deserted him in 1885 and he remarried in 1891, grannie found out and dobbed him in and he got 12 months for bigamy in 1898 Then in 1901 she did the same and remarried!  Would she think that the first marriage was annulled because of what he did? I don't think there would have been a divorce as that cost money. Thanks

[Milliepede]

What status did she give in 1901 - spinster/widow/divorcee?

[collin]

She said she was a widow but her first husband was alive to 1919

[CaroleW]

The 1884 marriage was still a valid marriage despite his bigamy but could have been annulled following the court case in view of the short duration??.  .  Divorce was unlikely so she was probably also a bigamist.

A case of do as I say - not as I do.

[Rena]

".....bigamy is still a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by imprisonment. Specifically, under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, a person convicted of bigamy can face a prison sentence of up to seven years."

Before the advent of computers I recall one case of bigamy reported in the local daily newspaper, where the bigamist got off scot free because no children were involved in either marriage.

I am surprised that it hasn't been struck off because one does read of immigrants arriving here with more than one wife and their children

[sparrett]

It would be interesting to know whether the 7 year no contact rule was at play in this case.

I do not know the exact particulars of the application, but a marriage could be declared invalid if a partner has not located or interacted with a spouse for 7 years,

This English law was applied frequently in early Australia where convicts needed to be marrying and producing offspring to populate the colonies.

It was assumed there would be no returning to the homeland to reunite with family and a new marriage was permitted after a period.

Of course the status of the partners on the document never said married

Sue

[collin]

Thank you, that is interesting, it seems she was a hypocrite and a liar, I know she didn't mind lying to the registrar but not the clergy as the children's baptisms reveal the truth. I know that a neighbour accused her in the street of not being married and a solicitors letter was sent and no rent paid that week, why didn't she just produce the marriage certificate? Must have been a secret wedding.