United Kingdom Divorce Records

[anomis66]

Hi, I've been shaking my family tree for a few years now and making steady progress researching ARTHUR/EARL in Birmingham and CLOUGH/GOMM in Uxbridge.

Recently, I've come across a few second marriages for individuals where the previous partners have not died, so I'm assuming a divorce has occurred.

My question: Where do I go to research divorce records in the UK? I have no clear dates to indicate if/when then occurred, just dates for a second marriage.

 

[ptjw7]

The best I can find is this https://www.gov.uk/copy-decree-absolute-final-order
But it would appear that you have to know most of the knowledge as where when etc and not cheap at £45 each
Personally I have never been able to any I have looked for
peter

 

[Llewred]

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/divorce/

A search of newspapers can sometimes throw things up.

 

[anomis66]

Thanks Peter. £45-65 is a bit expensive for a search with no guaranteed return. And a good suggestion from @Llewred for checking the press archive although I doubt people were as likely to announce divorces in the same way the would announce births, marriages and deaths in the press.

 

[Llewred]

People did not announce divorces. But I have come across reports in the newspapers of court cases involving divorce and the circumstances, and not just of the rich and famous.

 

[gibbo]

I agree with Llewred on the newspapers, papers are a terrific source of information at times. At times i have seen adverts in the papers of where someone is wanting to remarry but does not know where the previous partner is so they advertise looking for them, i guess to find them and divorce them or if they dont reply to the advert they can be assumed dead and the marriage can go ahead??

 

[gibbo]

Now this was not a happy marriage, i was looking for a example of the intending to marry advert just for interest and found this.

The Singleton Argus and Upper Hunter General Advocate (NSW : 1874 - 1880)
Wed 26 Mar 1879
MARY McGILL.
I have seen your adverstisement.
Marry when you like. God help your husband. R. I. P.
A. McGILL.

Well he had no intentions of going back