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Archiver > AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS > 2003-05 > 1052814076


From: Ada Ackerly <>
Subject: Re: Fw: If the husband left the wife and kids never to be heard of again......
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 19:16:49 +1000
In-Reply-To: <010601c3185f$5c2cb760$22b6dccb@default>


Hello Carolinr,

If the husband left and the wife had not heard of him for seven
years, believing him either dead or "across the seas" then she could marry
again, but knowing that if he returned, she would be expected to return to
him, and knowing that, with the expiration of seven years, her bigamous
marriage would not be a felony (prison) but a misdemeanor (fine). Also
knowing that the children of the second marriage, should he return, would
be illegitimate and not the first husband's responsibility.

If she was wise, she would have made sure there was a notation on her
second marriage certificate stating the facts and showing that seven years
had passed. Some women actually put an advertisement in the paper, warning
of the intention to marry.

But then again, many married in under seven years without any of the above
precautions ... so ran the risk of prison. Many married under assumed
names. Or did not tell their future husband of the situation, so he could
marry the deserted wife in complete ignorance. If you were prepared to run
the risk (or you were ignorant of the law) you could do what you
liked! Someone had to find you out and bring it to the law for any
repurcussions.

Regards Ada

At 18:20 12-05-03 +1000, jfawcett wrote:
>Caroline another option is that she found out that her marriage to her
>husband was bigamous. If so..she was then free to marry again if he was not
>deceased.
>cheers
>Jenny
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Robert Cunning" <>
>To: <>
>Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 12:44 AM
>Subject: Re: If the husband left the wife and kids never to be heard of
>again......
>
>
> >
> > Hello Caroline. She would have had to divorce him, probably, in those days
>,
> > for desertion. I very much doubt if there would have been enough time to
> > have him declared legally dead.
> >
> > There is a site for divorces in Victoria around that time:
> >
> > www.cohsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/db/divorcetim.pl
> >
> > Hsppy hunting, Bob
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Caroline" <>
> > To: <>
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 12:23 AM
> > Subject: Q: If the husband left the wife and kids never to be heard of
> > again......
> >
> >
> > > what would the wife have to do in order to remarry.
> > > Husband left between 1893 and 1899 in Vic and wife
> > > remarried in NSW in 1902.
> > >
> > > Caroline Dawson
> > >
> > > __________________________________
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> > >
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regards,
Ada Ackerly, Melbourne, Australia
formerly Ackerly DocuSearch



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