Records for people declared dead

[ruthrrr]

Hi

I am trying to find more details on my Great Grandfather. He married my Great Grandmother in August 1907 and their son was born October 1907 soon after which my Great Grandfather disappeared....

My Great Grandmother remarried in 1921 and I have been told that she had to have her first husband declared dead. Does anyone know much about this process or where I could find records relating to this?

Thanks

Ruth

[Peter Goodey]

I can't make out whether you're saying that the presumption of death was something you were told as a fact by a family member (ie it actually happened) or if it was someone else's opinion (ie it should have happened).

There are obviously other possibilities. Perhaps he was dead. Perhaps she chose to assume that he was dead without the benefit of a court order.

[Linda]

My grandfather did a disappearing act as well, in the 1920's. My mother told me that when my grandmother wanted to remarry in the 1940's she had to go through a search process (not sure what it entailed), but he couldn't be found, and a divorce was granted for "disertion" (the law may have changed now but I believe you could file for divorce after 7 years of desertion)

I realize you are looking at a different period but the law may have been the same.

Linda

[Geoffers]

I am trying to find more details on my Great Grandfather. He married my Great Grandmother in August 1907 and their son was born October 1907 soon after which my Great Grandfather disappeared....My Great Grandmother remarried in 1921 and I have been told that she had to have her first husband declared dead. Does anyone know much about this process or where I could find records relating to this?
There would need to have been some evidence to suggest he had died rather than just having done a moonlight. As you only have word of mouth to go one, I'd suggest looking at three sources:

1) The CWGC website to see if he died in WW1 - it may be that he died but his body was not found.

2) The wills index, which includes records where admons (letters of Administration) were granted in the absence of a will. The index is easy to search and is available on microfilm at many Local Studies' Libraries. You may have to search for quite a few years after he disappeared.

3) Coroner's Court Records. These are usually stored at County Record Offices.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Peter Goodey]

Matrimonial law was (in practice) significantly different for ordinary folk before the 1920s.

[ruthrrr]

Hi

I am trying to find more details on my Great Grandfather. He married my Great Grandmother in August 1907 and their son was born October 1907 soon after which my Great Grandfather disappeared....

My Great Grandmother remarried in 1921 and I have been told that she had to have her first husband declared dead. Does anyone know much about this process or where I could find records relating to this?

Thanks

Ruth
Thanks for everyone who came back. From what I have been told by my mother, my Great Grandmother had to have her first husband declared dead in order to remarry. Similar to what Linda described, in that she had to wait for 7 years of no contact before he was considered dead. On her marriage certificate to her second husband she is listed as a widow. From what I have been given to understand, if her first husband did show up, it would make the second marriage void. However her second marriage did last from 1931 until the death of her second husband in 1969.

Ruth

[Linda]

Well that's interesting Ruth, since you mentioned your great grandmother's marriage certificate I just checked my grandmother's certificate for her second marriage, and sure enough it states that she is a "widow" |blush|

Linda