My OH made an enquiry about his mother's divorce from her first husband which happened in the early 1950s. His enquiry was made in 2004, so I don't know if any of this is out of date, but here's a note he made about it at the time. They send you a copy of the decree absolute if they can find it. I'm assuming he probably had to send death cert copies. - I've just removed the names etc below (my alterations are the bits in brackets):
THE COURT SERVICE PRINCIPAL REGISTRY OF THE FAMILY DIVISION Decree Absolute Searches Room 2.03
First Avenue House 42-49 High Holborn London WC1V 6NP Telephone 020 7947 7016/7017
Switchboard 020 7947 6000
Fax 020 7947 6995
Minicom 020 7947 7602
DX 396 London Ch'ry Lane Internet
www.courtservice.gov.uk
D A Search/2004012340/07280 27 October 2004
Dear Sir/Madam,
between (OH's mother's first husband)
and (OH's mother)
A search of the Central Index of Decrees Absolute has been made accordingly and a record of a Decree made Absolute on (date of decree) has been traced.
The records for this divorce are kept in (City) COUNTY COURT and I have asked that Court to provide you with a copy of the certificate of Decree Absolute.
Any further enquiry relating to this case should be addressed to:
(City court address and phone number) quoting their reference (ref)
Yours faithfully,
Rory Cook
for D A Search
Family Administration Branch Manager