Genealogy Chat

I think I may just have stumbled on one of these in my father's part of the tree... In the Baptism Register, the later children are recorded as of mother, Hannah (GARD(E)NER, per marriage register), but she almost certainly died in 1849. On the other hand, the birth cert of one of them gives Elizabeth nee GARDNER and there's a death/burial record of (Mary) Elizabeth STRATFORD 'properly called GARDNER' at the right sort of date/age. Hmmm Christine

Sus, hi, hope you're having a good Xmas day. 1871 my g/uncle Henry married Mary Ann, then 5 years later died he married her sister Selina. All quite legal I think as they got married in the same church, by the same vicar, and surely he would know whether or not the marriage was legal. And the same vicar buried Mary Ann. TED XX

Both my g.grandfather and my g.g.grandfather - a long time before it became legal. g.g.was lucky because the spouses were Smith sisters so I suppose that wasn't too difficult to get away with. But when g.grandfather married his deceased Bro's wife she subtely changed the spelling of her surname at the time of the marriage - they knew what they were doing LOL Jan x

My Grandmother married her late husband's late sister's husband in 1916, they married in church and went on to have 4 children. Does this make the children illegitimate? Rosemary

Hi Susan, I have this in one of my lines my gg grandmother married in 1896 he then died in 1896 (the same Year) , she then married his brother my gg grandad in 1897, i found this quite strange. So i asked my nan if this was normal and she said that it was, so i just assumed it was legal, but im sure ive seen it in the movies too lol. I couldnt imagine me marring my husbands brother how gross would that be lol Kelly

I have nudged an earlier thread I posted which gives important dates in BMD registration. This may be of help to everyone. Merry Christmas Helen

I have a rellie who married three brothers between 1882 and 1912! Have the marriage certs for all. Possibly something of a record?

On 31/7/1837 John Gorrod, batchelor, cork cutter, married Mary Ann Laidler, spinster, daughter of Thomas Laidler, carpenter, in Lambeth. Mary Ann Gorrod died 8/8/1849. On 19/10/1851 John Gorrod, widower, cork cutter, married Emma Laidler, spinster, daughter of Thomas Laidler, carpenter, in St Pancras. Looks almost certain as if the girls were sisters. Surely this was illegal?

I have an Uncle marrying his niece in my family, surely that isn't legal. Not that it matters now really, they died long ago. June xx

I have a gggrandfather who married in the 1820's, was widowed and then married his late wife's sister. They were his second and third marriages - and for both he travelled from North Leicestershire to London to marry. One marriage was in StAnne's Soho, the other in St Leonards. Definitely him, his signature matches. Not only that but in both cases the couple married after banns and are 'of this parish' which none of them are!!

you can marry your sister in law, at this present time my father married my aunt, she was the twin of my mam! my mam died in 1982, my father married the twin in 1986 linda x

This is interesting to read. Am I right in thinking that it is illegal to marry your father-in-law, or has that now changed too? I remember reading an article a couple of years ago about a woman who had divorced her husband but wasn't allowed to then marry his father. I don't know where the law stands on marrying your mother-in-law! Rachael :-)

Just to confuse matters slightly here (with apologies)... the law regarding a man not being able do marry his dead wife's sister did not aply in the Channel Isles (there are several cases of such marriages taking place when it was illegal to do so in England and Wales). Further to the 1907 Act is this: 'The Imperial Parliament finally passed the Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act in 1907 after over a half-century of sometimes acrimonious debate; in 1921 this act was modified to allow marriage with a deceased brother's widow. In 1931 the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act legalised marriage between a man and deceased wife's aunts and nieces (& corresponding for a female); the Church of England came into line with civil law in 1940.' It was the dates that were confusing me somewhat - as I recall watching a Barbara Taylor Bradford movie late one night (I couldn't sleep! lol) where the couple in the film didn't legally marry until the 1940's as she was the sister of his dead wife.

thanks for the nudge! I think it is quite clear that a marriage to a sister in law would be considered illegal. Now I just have to find eveidence of it and I may have found my illusive John Thomas's parentage>>>>

nudged for info

Hi, Someone on my aunty's husband's family some way back married his sister-in-law.He was also a bigamist as well helen

My gt grandmother married her Brother in Law - both were widowed and even more bizarre - both dead spouses had died on the same day!

My gran married two brothers.my grandad died(TB) and my gran was left with 5 children.A few years later she married his brother and had another 2 children. vicky

the Deceased Brother’s Widow’s Marriage Act, 1921. An Act to amend the Law relating to marriage with a deceased brother’s widow. [28th July 1921] BE it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :- 1.-(1) Section one of the Deceased Wife’s Sister's Marriage Act, 1907, shall be read and construed as after the words 'deceased wife’s sister,' where they occur in such section, there were inserted 'or between a man and his deceased brother’s widow.' (2) Section three of the said Act shall be read and construed as though - (a) in subsection (1) thereof, after the words 'wives sisters,' there were inserted the words 'or husbands’ brothers’ wives ‘‘ ; and (b) in subsection (2) thereof, at the end, there were inserted the words 'or the divorced wife of his brother, or the wife of his brother who has divorced his brother, during the lifetime of such brother.' (3) Section four of the said Act shall be read and construed as if at the end thereof there were inserted the words 'or his deceased brother’s widow.' (4) Section five of the said Act shall be read and construed as though at the end thereof there were inserted the words 'and the word ‘brother’ shall include a brother of the half blood.' The said Act as amended by this Act shall, so far as it relates to marriages between a man and his deceased brother's widow, have effect as though it had been passed at the date of the passing of this Act. 2. This Act may be cited as the Deceased Brother’s Widow's Marriage Act, 1921, and this Act and the Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Marriage Act, 1907, may be cited together as the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Acts, 1907 and 1921.

Thank you for that piece of Act very interesting. Might explain something. She originally married her first husband where she was born (Gloucestershire) and this is where he died, but when she married the second brother they went to his Parish (Lincolnshire), but did move back to the Gloucestershire Parish two years later as per the census information! Sneeky buggers :)