Divorce (whereby a husband or wife could end their legal union and make a subsequent marriage while their spouse was still living) was so rare and expensive that it was virtually impossible in England and Wales prior to 1857. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 established a new process and a new court to oversee petitions that dealt with all manner of marital unhappiness but, although it undoubtedly reduced the expense and complexity of legally altering a marriage, it was still beyond the means and geographically distant to much of the population. Additionally, the legal threshold to secure a divorce or other remedies offered under the Act was extremely high, especially for wives, which made divorce an impossibility for many.

This talk will explore the proceedings of the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes along with the other options – both legal and illegal – adopted by unhappily married couples in the 19th century, revealing the light that archival records can shed on these most intimate of relationships. 

To conclude the afternoon, those attending in person can enjoy a relaxed complimentary drinks reception where you can meet other family historians, share stories, and spark new connections over refreshments at the SoG summer social. 

• You can attend in-person at our Resource Hub in London where the presenter will be live or watch online via Zoom. The option to choose either online or in-person appears before checkout
• Gold Members: Included in Membership. Book a spot to watch live. No pre-booking required to view the recording, which will be available in your video library
• Not a Gold Member yet? Existing members upgrade here. Non-members, find out more about Gold here.
• Non and Standard Members: Recording available for one month when you pre-book.

Click here for information about our events.  Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.