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''Declarations of Nullity'' Olde Crone - come back

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Nicola

Nicola Report 9 Sep 2005 12:47

I'm not sure about the situation in the early 1900's but nowadays, a bigamous marriage does not meet the requirements of UK law and is treated as if it never happened (a void marriage). As it never legally occurred it doesn't need to be annulled. Hope this helps. Nicky

Merry

Merry Report 9 Sep 2005 10:45

This is something I don't know Gwyneth?? (Do we have any lawyers doing their tree??) I would have thought that my gran might have decided this for herself: ''That marriage didn't count, so I'll carry on as if it never happened''......but I would have thought in law, you would have to prove that the marriage wasn't legally binding in some way, before you could go on to marry again...... After all, had she told the vicar at the second marriage that she had been married before, but it didn't count because her first hubby was already married, the second vicar wouldn't say, ''Oh, that's all right my dear, I believe you''!! Merry

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 9 Sep 2005 08:36

Would she have needed an annulment or would she have considered that the 1st marriage just never was legal and binding?

Merry

Merry Report 9 Sep 2005 08:25

My grandmother married in May 1915. The marriage was bigamous as her new husband was already married. I don't know if she knew this or not, but they separated within weeks of the wedding. He was a fraudster and a thief who by 1916 was in jail. In 1917 he was divorced by his first wife - decree absolute in July 1917. By this time he was out of jail and was back at the front, where he was killed in August 1917. (so wife 1 did herself out of a pension....) I have documentation that suggests that the army and the police never seemed to realise he had more than one wife. There are references to both of these women (dates and addresses prove to me the records refer to different people) but nothing to suggest anyone in authority realised Mrs X was two people!! Now for the crunch..... My grandmother ''re-married'' in Nov 1917 stating her condition as spinster. She may not have known her first ''husband'' was dead, as he died under an assumed name. So, she may have thought she was still legally married and that her new marriage was bigamous. Or she may have found out that the first marriage was bigamous and had it annulled (or found out, but not bothered to do anything about it). Is there any way I can find out if the first marriage was annulled?? (It was in a C of E church, if that makes any difference) Happy Hunting Merry x

Merry

Merry Report 9 Sep 2005 08:24

See below in a mo......