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Divorce records

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Paul

Paul Report 26 Sep 2009 14:24

Is it possible to check if a marriage was disolved? I have 2 marriages registered for my granny, we believe she did not divorce from her first marriage when she married my granddad in 1931. Is there a way to check registered divorces?

Mummy Bear

Mummy Bear Report 26 Sep 2009 14:34

Paul
Some are at Kew and some more recent are held by the Courts Service.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=53
and
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/

The more recent ones are not available for the public to search. The search has to be done by the Courts Service.

HMCS (Her Majesty's Court Service)
Principle Registry of the Family Division
Decree Absolute Searches
R 2.03
First Avenue House
42-49 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NP

Tel 020 7947 7016 020 7947 7016 or 7017

Decree Absolute Search Section (020 7947 7017 ) ([email protected]) the Principal Registry of the Family Division holds a central index of all Decree Absolute granted in England and Wales from 1858 to date. This Section will also hold a central index of Final Dissolution Orders following the legislation changes in December 2005. This Section also deals with enquiries relating to Attachment of Earnings payments and Reciprocal Enforcements.

I think the search costs is £40 for each 10year period (yes expensive). If I remember correctly for an extra £1 you can get the Decree Nisi which will give you details i.e. why abandonment, adultery (it may even name names!) etc.

I've found them helpful both on the phone and in person. If you do visit they'll only search two years while you wait. Give them a call.


What details are you hoping to find or do you just want to confirm a couple actually got divorced, they don't contain much info?

MB

Paul

Paul Report 26 Sep 2009 14:58

MB thanks for the info.! There's been a family rumour for many years that my grandma had a previous marriage, and she never divorced from that marriage. When my grandpa was nearing the end of his life, he said something about it and it was quite a shock for my mother & her sisters! Both grandparents have died some time ago, but my mother & her sisters are still intrigued to know some facts. I have found the first marriage and got the cert. - but we don't know if it was dissolved or not. Also we are not sure what is the status of the later marriage if bigamous. Does it become void rendering the children technically illgitimate? Paul

was plain ann now annielaurie

was plain ann now annielaurie Report 26 Sep 2009 15:28

You can search for a divorce up to 1937 in the online National Archives Catalogue. Go to Search the Catalogue on their website, put the surname in and use J77 as the reference to search.