Hi Gwyn,
A recent edition of 'Family Tree Magazine' contained a large article on
divorce. Here is some of it:
Hope this helps,
Karen
"I use Archive CD Books to help with my research."
http://www.archivecdbooks.org
EYES Family History
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~karenohare
Liverpool Photographers
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~liverpoolphotographers
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DIVORCE INDEXES AT THE FAMILY RECORDS CENTRE
By Anthony Camp
In my article about "Marital Discord" in the April 2000 issue of this
magazine I said that attempts over a good number of years to get the indexes
at the Divorce Registry microfilmed or made open to public search had
failed. I was therefore very pleased in November to see that microfilm
copies of a series of indexes from 1858 to 1958 (which are also available at
the Public Record Office (PRO), Kew) have been made available at the Family
Records Centre at 1 Myddleton Street, London, EC1R 1UW (020-8392-5300)
Divorce since 1857 is defined by Lord Halsbury as the dissolution of
marriage with the right thereafter to marry another person while the former
spouse still lives.
(There then follows a detailed description of the history of divorce.)
Indexes
The indexes which have recently been made available at the PRO, Kew, and
at the Family Records Centre are indexes of petitions and not of decrees.
Although apparently only relating to matrimonial causes for which files were
created in the Principal Registry, they seem to include references to some
other petitions. They include, for instance, Mrs Wallis Simpson's petition,
heard at the Assize Court at Ipswich in 1936. Their exact coverage is,
therefore, uncertain and has not been clarified by enquiry at the Divorce
Registry.
The indexes usually show the full names of those who petitioned for
divorce followed by the names of the defendants. For example the first cause
in 1858 is listed as:
1) Avery, Mary Anne v Avery, John (Protection)
In cases where the husband alleged adultery on the part of the wife the
name of the wife (the defendant) is coupled with the surname of the
correspondent. An example in 1881 has:
7790 Fogg, John v Fogg, Elizabeth & France, Oldham & Byrom.
Meaning that adultery was alleged with three people.
(There follows more details from petitions.)
The indexes, which are handwritten throughout, are arranged by the
initial letter of the surname in chronological order. The earlier volumes
contain entries for several years, and one has to search to find the actual
year written in the middle of the page between the entries. This is not
always immediately obvious. As divorce became more frequent, a relatively
long search may be involved, particularly if the exact date is not
known........
The indexes and lists are in 42 volumes grouped on 14 microfilms as follows:
J78/ 1-3 1858 - 1885
4-8 1886 - 1917
9-10 1917 - 1920
11-12 1921 - 1925
13-15 1926 - 1932
16-18 1933 - 1938
19-21 1938 - 1942
22-23 1942 - 1943
24-26 1943 - 1945
27-29 1945 - 1947
30-32 1947 - 1952
33-35 1950 - 1952
36-38 1952 - 1954
39-42 1955 - 1958
At the Family Records Centre these microfilms are located in the
cabinets between the end of the Death or Estate Duty indexes (IR 27) and the
PCC Administrations (PROB 6). The Class Lists (J 78) are in the General
Reference Room next to those for the Estate Duty Office.
Files at the PRO, Kew
The files include cases in which the petitions did not succeed, and of
which there were many in the early years. Several files may exist for one
divorce but these are usually cross-referenced. ..... From 1858 to 1866 the
files are in alphabetical order, but after that date they are keyed to the
numbers in the indexes, so the year and number is needed if you go to Kew.
The majority of files have been extensively weeded or "stripped" and
they now contain only court minutes and pleadings and (sometimes) copies of
the decrees.......
Records at First Avenue House
From 1858 copies of all decrees absolute, removed from the files raised
in London nand returned from the local courts throughout England and Wales,
are preserved at the Principal Registry of the Family Division at First
Avenue House, 42 - 49 High Holborn, London WC1V 6NP.
The indexes here are in the form of lists fronting boxes of decrees
1858-1946, on microfiche 1947-69, on computer cassettes 1970-1980 and on
computer from 1981. They are not public documents (although they ought to
be!) but will be searched by the officials on payment of fees. The search
fee (set in 1995) is £20 and covers a three-year search whilst you wait, or
a 10-year search is acceptable or application is made by post. A certificate
of the decree absolute or of the negative result of the search is then
issued. Decree Absolute search forms are available in the Family Proceedings
Department, Room 2.03.