Divorce 1884

[Nessmcd]

Would I be right in thinking that a divorce in 1884 would have been rather unusual? And expensive?

I have a relative whose name appears on The National Archives site as having divorced his wife in 1884. It is possible for me to obtain the document but it's fairly expensive and I am wondering what details it might contain. Hoping for something salacious, I suppose!

Does anyone have any experience of divorce at this sort of time?

Thank you.

[Uncle John]

I have one circa 1890. The sordid details were in The Times. They were not a well-to-do family but the groom's mother was so incensed at her d-i-l's "loose living" that she apparently bankrolled the proceedings, and then went on to "kidnap" the couple's baby daughter. The "dalliance" which led to the divorce means that my cousins have living blood relatives in New Zealand that they knew nothing about.

A name or two would help, unless you have access to The Times archive yourself. But you know how we like a salacious tale!!

[Nessmcd]

Thank you, Uncle John. I don't have access to The Times Archive myself, but did wonder whether there might be a newspaper report. Watson Failes divorced his wife Louisa, and it seems the co-respondent was a Mr Fysh.

He doesn't appear to have made an honest women of her after the divorce, though!

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I haven't looked in The Times yet, but it is in:

Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London, England), Sunday, November 16, 1884; Issue 2191

Fetch.jpg

[Nessmcd]

That's fantastic! Thank you so much.

[Little Nell]

Lucky they were such unusual names.

I looked in Times ARchive. There are several entries for a Rev Watson Failes but nothing about divorce. There's also a death notice for Capt Gerald Watson Failes in May 1918, saying he was son of Mr & Mrs Watson Failes of Tilney St Lawrence, Norfolk.

[Chris in Sussex]

Just for interest....

Apparently a divorce at that time would have cost around £500.

Info from NA Podcast 'Scandals in the Family'
The National Archives Podcast Series

[Nessmcd]

Many thanks, Little Nell and Chris for the added information. Much appreciated.