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Divorce in 1904 - advice needed please

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

ChrisofWessex

ChrisofWessex Report 24 Jun 2006 21:57

Samuel Henry Jolliffe marr. Elizabeth Sarah Kitching in Methodist church - in 1901Census - they are at separate addresses in Portsmouth. Feb 1904 she married in anglian church in Portsmouth stating single and giving false name - only item which born any resemblence to truth was her father's occupation. In April 1904 Mr. Jolliffe marries in Methodist church in IOW and states he is divocred from Elizabeth Sarah Jolliffe formerly Kitching and he is a blacksmith. I am puzzled - 30 years ago Methodist Church was reluctant to marry divorcees never mind in 1904. Also at one time I know husbands could divorce wives for adultery but not the other way! What grounds were available in 1904? I know if we apply for a copy of decree absolute (if indeed it exists) it is possible that the grounds will not be mentioned on it - they were not mentioned in a 1951 decree which I applied for.

Merry

Merry Report 24 Jun 2006 21:47

Today, if you marry after a divorce you have to show the decree absolute. Don't know about then, but it might have been a risky lie! I have seen cases of ordinary people divorced even before this date, but it was uncommon. Merry

Merry

Merry Report 24 Jun 2006 21:45

If they did divorce, there MIGHT be a mention in The Times newspaper archive. I'll have a look if you can tell me the surname and the time span (were they still married in 1901, for instance?) Merry

Darksecretz

Darksecretz Report 24 Jun 2006 21:41

hiya, from what has been said on previous threads, it was expensive to divorce, and rarely the poorer could afford to, perhaps he told a little lie, as much the same as his wife earlier, Julie bigamy was rife!!!!

ChrisofWessex

ChrisofWessex Report 24 Jun 2006 21:09

Have found on marr. cert details re the groom being divorced and name of his ex wife. (ex wife marr. 2 months earlier giving false name and stating a spinster). However I would like to know please if divorce was normal at this time in the working classes (groom was a blacksmith) as I understood it was expensive and grounds limited. Can anyone help? Have tried the internet but not getting anywhere. All part of a puzzle which has taken about 20 years to solve and coming to the end of it now - I think. Thank you Ann