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  1. #1
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    Default How to find a Divorce record

    On the 30.April 1921 Alfred Sydney SMITH married May JOHNSTON at The Register Office in Fulham, on 20.October that year their son Edward Patrick SMITH was born.
    My Father-in-Law was born in Fulham 3.May.1939 and his parents are listed as Joseph Louis FELL & Mary Louise FELL formally Smith. I have Joseph & Mary's marriage certificate which is from 11.Jan.1940 again at The Register Office in Fulham, Mary's "Condition" on the certificate is "Spinster".
    My Father-in-Law was aware that he had an older brother and that his Mother had possibly been married before but assumed as no-one ever spoke about Alfred that he had died.
    I had not been able to find a Death record for Alfred and now with the help of the 1939 Register I have found Alfred and his son Edward living in Kensington from the date of birth given for Alfred I have found a possible death in 1983 and I have sent for the Certificate to see if I have the correct Alfred.
    What I would now like to do is find any documents or records that show a Divorce took place between Alfred & Mary, but I am not sure how to go about this.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Thank you.
    K

  2. #2
    Dundee10
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    Default

    The National Archives guide to divorce records is here:

    https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/h...ides/divorces/

  3. #3
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    Thank You.

  4. #4
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    Mary Louise FELL formally Smith
    What was the exact form of words used? Formerly (not formally) introduces the maiden name and wouldn't be correctly used for a former married name.

    I don't think I understand this question at all.

    You say
    ...a Divorce took place between Alfred & Mary
    but in the first sentence you say
    ...Alfred Sydney SMITH married May JOHNSTON
    I don't see the relationship between the first and second paragraphs.

    I have got a streaming cold and a thick head at the moment so apologies if I'm just being dim.

    PS On the 1940 marriage certificate, what is shown for the bride's father?

  5. #5
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    Sorry for the confusion Peter, my Father-in-Laws Mother used the christian names May, Mary & Mary Ann and Surnames Hartigan, Johnston, Smith & La Genue. She was born 5.Nov.1900 and her birth certificate has her named as Hartigan Johnston, Parents William Johnston & Mary-Ann Hartigan. In April 1901 she is baptised as May Hartigan Johnston. On her marriage certificate to Alfred in 1921 she is named as May Johnston and her father is William Johnston. On the marriage to Joseph in 1940 she is Mary Smith and her father is named as William Smith (deceased) on both certificates she states that she is a spinster. I assume that May/Mary had a bigamous marriage with Joseph but without finding a divorce I cannot be sure.

  6. #6
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    Thank you. Full explanations are always welcome.

    As you will have seen from the research guide, the only way to find a divorce record for that period is to write to the Central Family Court. I don't know whether you think it's worth it.

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