What can I expect in the records?

[MythicalMarian]

I am coming across quite a few divorces now in my family - all listed under the J77 catalogue at TNA, but at £8.50 a throw I don't want to go mad ordering them all if they aren't going to give me any crucial details.

Tonight I have plumped for one of the more interesting ones in 1860, when my lady petitioned the hubbie for a divorce, but as I wait for the digital link to be e-mailed I was wondering if any of our forum members have actually obtained such a copy from TNA, and if so, what kind of info I can expect to find in a divorce record.

I have managed to work out that one or two of them must have been for 'adultery', as a male co-respondent is named, and I am wondering if my lady has sued for desertion (her hubbie certainly does a rapid disappearing act). But I do hope I will get more than just the names and dates.

Has anyone any info to offer on this one? :)

[v.wells]

Got one Marion and it was great but went 14 pages (lots of £). Lots of nitty gritty details such as where, when, who, witnesses and if they appeared or not at divorce proceedings. Told how it was paid for and by whom.

I wish my other divorced one appeared in the indexes but it was just past the cut off date, or I would have ordered it in a heartbeat.

It usually comes with the petitition, proceedings, marriage dissolution decrees and granting of decree. If there is money involved I would assume that would be mentioned as well.

[MythicalMarian]

Ooh thanks, Vanessa - I was hoping it would be informative. The lady went on to be something of a serial wife :) Her second husband (by whom she had her only child) died and I've lost the last one (a Scot), but she is down as widow on the 1901 and has reverted to second hubbie's name - he must have been her favourite :) I'm beginning to wonder if she divorced the third too, but there is nothing in the TNA indexes for this. I can't find a death for him in England, but I do wonder if he sneaked off back north of the border - I'll have a look at the SP site.

Hopefully my docs will arrive tomorrow (I've chosen the 24 hour option) so I can't wait. :D

[v.wells]

I forgot to add that if there are children, they are named. I think they went by law to the husband unless he states he doesn't want them. My lot of children ended up in Barnardos after he departed ahead of the divorce. He was living with another woman but my aunt had to have an liaison with a dentist in rooms above "Bracken House" in order to file for divorce herself on grounds of "her" adultery. :(

Poor soul lost her children and died less than 10 yrs later without ever seeing them again! The divorce was paid for by the council/parish people for the poor.

I might scan some good snippets to post on my site :D

[MythicalMarian]

Oh, good heavens! I have to post a separate thread about this asking for everyone's advice!

But first a big thanks to Vanessa - I did get chapter and verse in my divorce papers, and they confirmed the identity of the naughty husband of my Harriett, who went on to become a well-respected editor, author and man of letters in the States. Funnily enough, his biographical snippets all over the Internet mention nothing of his bigamy, his deceit, his lies or his irresponsibility. I will be back after my tea with more on this fascinating gem I've uncovered. :)