Family history website, Ancestry.co.uk, has revealed details of nearly 70,000 divorces from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. These have revealed details of cases which are said to have caused a scandal in their day. During this period it was much tougher to obtain a Divorce than it is today; the separating couples had to provide evidence to support their claims of adultery and mistreatment to convince a jury to allow the divorce. One case reported in the Telegraph describes the attempt of Mr Robinson, who tried to divorce his wife based on Adultery. Mr Robinson had discovered his wife’s diary, full of details of her pursuit of a younger man and her consequent affair with him. However, at court, Mrs Robinson managed to persuade the jury that she was “labouring under hallucinations” and that the diary was a result of a “species of insanity”. Mr Robinson was unsuccessful in his divorce action. Other examples that have been reported in the Mirror may seem bizarre to the modern family lawyer. These include the claims of a Mr Yelverton who married his wife in secret ceremonies on two occasions, then proceeded to marry another women. It is reported that Mr Yelverton alleged he was not aware of the first two marriages and had merely had a sexual relationship with the woman claiming to be the first Mrs Yelverton. However, in contrast, some couples were so desperate for a divorce that they would produce false evidence to the court to assist their case. Miriam Silverman, of Ancestry.co.uk, has appeared in the Telegraph to explain the lengths some married couples would go to. “The gentleman would often hire a hotel room, where a paid-for 'mistress' would partially undress and they would both sit on the edge of the bed. The wife would then burst in at a pre-arranged time with a detective and photographer, to catch her husband in the act.” Fortunately, Divorce Law had evolved since this period and couples no longer have to create stories of adultery and stage discovery in an attempt to convince a jury to grant a divorce. Contact our specialist Family Law team If you would like to talk to any of our Family Law Solicitors please contact them on 0800 916 9055, or e-mail enquiries@rjwslatergordon.co.uk. Our Family Lawyers operate across the country and can offer immediate and accessible representation anywhere in England & Wales.
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