Breach of Promise

[elyam]

I am hoping someone out there can help me find any information on a breach of promise case. I have to admit I have very few facts, my mother told me she had years ago found a news paper cutting from the News of the World which reported that her aunt had been sued for breach of promise and she had, had to pay the ex. I have no idea of the date but the lady in question was born in 1892 so I would imagine it would be anywhere from 1910 - 1920. I have to admit I am curious as I though it was unusual for the woman to be sued? It also apparently caused a huge scandal in the village.
(I haven't put her name here but if you think you can help I'll send it).
elyam

[Procat]

Hi elyam,

Have you tried searching the Times Digital Archive to try and narrow down the time frame? You may be able to do it through your local library.

If you are unable to access it you could post the name on the forum as the lady in question would be deceased.

If you do not wish to post on the open forum send me a PM and I will have a look for you.

[elyam]

Thanks Doug,
Her name is Louie Robinson, I live in a village in Holland and the local library doesn't have a computer.
Elyam

[Geoffers]

Searching the Times archive is free, if you find a possible entry you pay to download it.

Do you know what type of breach of promise?

Can you narrow down the search period at all? - Did she marry at sometime?

Can you narrow down the location? - Try searching banns registers for parishes (I appreciate the difficulties of distance) to see if any banns were read and there is a note as to why there was no subsequent marriage?

Try writing to the News of the World and see if they have a catalogued archive.

[Procat]

Hi Elyam,

Unfortunately unable to find anything. Mind you it may be there and just not picked up by the search engine.

[Browneyes]

There's a law report in the Times (1/2/1915) of a case ROBINSON v SMITH but without knowing the location or any names that might be connected to your lady I don't know if this is relevant. It mentions the names:

Mrs Hollingsworth & Mrs Currie who gave affidavits
The plaintiff was married to Mr Lambie (I guess :D the plaintiff hadn't disclosed to Mr Smith that she was already married)
Wedding cards had been sent out with the compliments of Mr & Mrs McIvor Lambie...

Manchester Assizes.

[Peter Goodey]

The questioner says the plaintiff was male but in the Times article, the defendant was male.

[Browneyes]

But...

The Times article heading is:

Court of Appeal
Breach of Promise of Marriage: New Trial
before Lord Justices Buckley, Pickford & Banks

The defendent had

"applied for judgement or a new trial in an action tried by Mr Justice Bailhache and a common jury at the Manchester Assizes on Feb. 24th 1914. The action was brought for breach of promise of marriage and resulted in a verdict and judgement for the plaintiff for £125."

It went on to say the two reasons for the application were (a) that new evidence had been found and (b) that the damages awarded were excessive.

I read that to mean that a female sued a male for breach of promise to marry then that male asked for a new trial against the female.

The female had denied that she was married and that she was a spinster and the wedding cards had been sent out by Mr Lambie.

I hope this is Elyam's lady but if not it's still an interesting case!

[elyam]

I see you have all been very busy and I thank you. The case was a breach of promise of marriage Louie was born in Essex reg. Saffron Walden the 1911 census she appears to be in West Ham Essex. Louie married later in life so I cant narrow the years down but I know she married a widower from her home village in Essex so I assume the whole story unfolded somewhere in Essex.
elyam

[Jan1954]

Why not whizz off an email to Saffron Walden Library (http://www.townlib.org.uk/contact.htm)? They have quite a good local history studies centre within their walls as well as an Archive Access Point for Essex records. There may have been something in a local newspaper.