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Common Law Wife

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David

David Report 5 Nov 2022 17:21

How do I show a common law wife (and children) against the husband when he is still married to his first wife?

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 5 Nov 2022 17:25



Whether you add the "wife" as a spouse or not is up to your own preference.
Either way, you'll need to explain the situation in a note.

"Spouse" is the only kind of partner possible on GR.

"Common law" wife/husband is not a legal term in the UK.
In Scotland there used to be something called "cohabitation with habit and repute", but that was abolished in 2006. It gave limited legal rights - but only if neither partner was married to anyone else.

Researching:
Old genealogists never die.....they just lose their census.

David

David Report 5 Nov 2022 20:57

Hi thanks for that. I can now add the second family.

grannyfranny

grannyfranny Report 5 Nov 2022 21:02

I would add the second as a spouse, then put in notes 'not married'.
You may find that if the second is older than the first, she will appear in first position. The way to change this is to make the first's DOB before the seconds, change either and put correct date in notes.

Researching:
Freeman of Berwick upon Tweed