Was Great-grandma a bigamist ?

[dicole]

I have ordered both certificates with checking references to George Beever, father of the bride. I will let you know what I find out.

Diane

[dicole]

Yes. she was !!!!

Today I received the marriage certificate for Arthur Crowder and Edith Hannah Eccles.

Married on 12 Jun 1918, in the Register Office at Chorlton.

Arthur Crowder, 35y, Bachelor, of 19 Stockton St, Moss Side, father Joseph, deceased Plasterer.

Edith Hannah Eccles, 38 years, WIDOW, munitions worker, 19 Stockton St Moss Side, father Geroge Beever, Insurance Collector.


So great grandma did marry again without a divorce, while her first husband was still alive - did she deliberately lie to the Registrar, or did she think the hubby no 1 might have died in Australia or during the war ? I guess we will never know, unless one of her descendents in the UK is willing to tell.

Someone in England did know he was still alive, as they notified HIM of her 1923 death, so that HE could remarry.

Thanks to all who helped with checking this out, I thought you would be interested in the final result.

Diane

[Mary from Italy]

Tsk, naughty great-granny. Just like mine...

[Harrys mum]

And mine.............lol

[Uncle John]

Just shows that even as late as 1918 Australia was regarded as virtually on another planet (no slur intended on present company). Even with steamships the transit time was still six weeks or more, compared with three months or more by sail.

[dicole]

I know in the early days, one could marry again if your spouse was transported beyond the seas, or was left behind when you were transported, with no prospect of reunion, but I did not think it was still applicable in the 20th century.

Such a pity she died only 5 years into her second marriage, I think I will have to get her death cert to see the Cause of Death.

Di

[Mary from Italy]

My great-grandparents both remarried bigamously, twice each. She was living in Sydney, and he was in the New England area. This was in the early 20th century,when divorce was still hard to get for ordinary people.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I think some Bishops took a more lenient view of a remarriage than did the Civil authorities.

Christian Marriage has certain duties attached to it and if the two parties were thousands of miles from each other, the Bishop might be more inclined to allow a remarriage on the grounds of desertion.

However, she shouldn't have said she was a widow!

OC