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Marrying your Sister in Law
| Profile | Posted by | Options | Post Date |
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Unknown | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:58 |
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I've got several cases of it inbetween 1835 and 1907 and I assume that if the vicar who married the couple didn't know the relationship it happened - I suppose they were theoretically unlawful:) |
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Unknown | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:54 |
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Read all about it: Sister Act (1835-1907) Places: England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Britain, Europe. The Deceased Wife’s Sister Act was introduced in 1835 to clarify a murky area of British marriage law. The Act ruled that all marriages with one’s deceased wife’s sister which had taken place before 31 August 1835 could not be retracted, but that all subsequent unions of this type were rendered invalid. (Previously these marriages were legal, but could be annulled at any time.) Thus a single day might be all that separated a respectable wife from a mere concubine, though in practice such marriages continued to be celebrated illegally and were frequently tolerated by society. At a time when death in childbirth was commonplace, many young widowers might find solace – and a kind stepmother for their children – in their sisters-in-law. which follow one such match. The Act has its roots in Biblical teaching against incest between ‘affines’, or in-laws. The Act was finally repealed in 1907. From: www.litencyc*.*com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1430 |
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Sue | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:46 |
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Thank you all for your help - much appreciated Regards Sue |
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Unknown | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:43 |
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I can't see any legal reason why you can't marry your brother/sister in law ...as long as your first husband/wife is dead and that your brother/sister in law isn't married himself ! I know that COUSINS could legally marry after a certain date ... but couldn't tell you when. Dancer x |
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Geoff | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:39 |
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I think it was about 1907 when it was legalised. |
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Sue | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:37 |
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The marriage was definately consumated as they had children together before her first husband died. |
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Louise2212 | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:33 |
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not sure might have been legal if the previous marriage hadn't been consumated (Henry VIII married his dead brothers wife - Catherine of Aragon on these grounds) |
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Sue | Report | 6 Jun 2005 17:29 |
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Am I right in saying that it was illegal to marry your dead brother's wife? The reason I am asking is that I have found this in my family, one of the brothers died (he was a coal miner) and then 6 years later she has married his brother and they had children Any help much appreciated Regards Sue |
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