Genealogy Chat

I know for a fact it CAN happen. In my other half's family in the early 1900's a man outside the family married 2 sisters (obviously not at the same time) and wanted to marry a third after the second one had died. Really -it's true!!!!

Although I bow to others more knowledgeable - I always thought that it wasn't a problem if they were not blood relatives.

nudge

it was a Victorian cause celebre. There was an Bill put before Parliament just about every year to change the law, and even a mention in a Gilbert & Sullivan song Everybody knew what the law was, but everybody ignored it. It wasn't a criminal offence, like bigamy, just that the marriage was legally void. But plenty of unmarried couples lived together anyway, and everybody knew the law would be changed eventually, and when that happened existing void marriages would be legalised retrospectively (as did happen in 1907).

It only became legal in about 1907. I think it was actually different years when brother in law and sister in law marriages became legal.

We have researched one chap who married as a widower to Mary. 18 months after Mary's death, he married her sister, Harriet, in the Congregational Church, where he was a founder member and a Deacon. The rest of the community either didn't know about the law or didn't like to stand up to him, I suppose.

If you google 'The deceased wife's sisters marriage act,' it will give info on this. it was illegal until 1907, but not unheard of. Heather

I don't think it was allowed to marry your spouse's sibling, however it happened alot it would seem, from reading these boards.

I've got loads of them doing that. Although it was illegal to marry your deceased wifes sister and visa-versa. It does happen :) I too have records of their marriages to both sisters. I think a law was passed in 1911 or something to allow it. I also have step children marrying. I don't think that was illegal though.

Carol is convinced it would have been illigal for the sister to marry her brother-in-law. The first sister died young and I could understand the unmarried sister moving in to help look after the 3 young childre, but she changed her surname to that of the husband and had 2 children by him. I do have marriage references for both of them, but with my track record !! lol Magsxx

Didn't there used to be a law where by you couldn't marry your sisters husband? Could never think of a reason why not but I think it was law. Gloria

This is all happening in the late 1800's. I have a girl marrying her late sisters husband, and step brother and sister marrying. Non of them are blood relatives, although the families are so intertwined it could be so. My cousin seems to think this would not have been allowed ( which messes up my research somewhat ). I think it is just the same as, Dennis and Sharon Watts in Eastenders, to draw a modern day parallel. Anyone else come across this ? Mags