Divorce records
 

Does anyone know what records are available regarding divorces in the UK, please? I'm interested in a couple who, as far as I can tell, divorced in London in either 1947 or 1948 (that is, they were still living together on the electoral register in 1947, but the wife remarried in 1948) - wondered what further information I might be able to find on them.

The case files on TNA only go up to 1937. There might have been a newspaper report, but of course the British Newspaper Archive doesn't have so much from the 1940's as it does from the 19th century.

Apropos of this, does anyone know if divorces are recorded on marriage certificates?

These always had to be produced, and kept by the authorities. If this were proof of an annulled marriage, would it be recorded?

I have the marriage cert of my husbands aunt. Her husband had been married before and divorced. The certificate lists his previous wife’s name and the fact they were divorced.

In the condition bit it says” formerly the husband of Millicent Jane Dixon formerly Ross spinster from whom he obtained a divorce.

This was in 1948

Edit to say, she is long dead.

If what were proof? :o

My second marriage records the fact that I was previously married, but not to whom.

I have always though it strange that one has to prove divorce but not widowhood!

OC

Afterthought - and my second marriage cert was NOT proof of my divorce as far as the passport authorities were concerned. I had, in 2000, to find my decree absolute from 1973 in order to get a passport.

OC

On divorce (at least among TNA's records) one of the papers needed is the marriage certificate. I don't know whether this was simply in order to prove you had been married, or whether it might also be to prevent you claiming various "benefits" as a married man.

If it were the latter, it would be sensible for the authorities to mark the marriage registers. It would have been a good idea, but I assume it never happened.

It was always the case, certainly after the 1969 Act, that you had to file your original Marriage Certificate, or a certified copy, with the Court at the same time as your Petition and your Statement of Arrangements in respect of any children of the family.

My marriage certificate just says 'Previous marriage dissolved' for both of us. No mention of the identity of the unfortunate previous spouses.

Thanks Kite - have done a search of the BNA. Both husband and wife are mentioned separately on other occasions, but there's nothing about the divorce. Just found that if one doesn't know the court in which the divorce was granted, a search for a copy of the decree absolute costs £65!! Not sure I'll bother with that.

They were married in 1931; it was his second and her first, and his previous wife was named on the certificate. When she remarried in 1948 it was the second for both of them, and both previous spouses were named.

About 18 years ago, we wanted to find out if a divorce had taken place and applied to a High Court in High Holborn??? , London irrc to check their records. It cost a fee about £20 iirc for a 5 year search.

Think I may have destroyed the reply as no divorce was found.

…………………………………………� �…………………………………………� ��………………..

Just googled and found this - price is £65 for 10 year search.

https://www.gov.uk/copy-decree-absolute-final-order