Hi List I hope that someone out there can help me! I have come across an ancestor getting married by "Special License" in Victoria ( not technically goldfields related - but I do hope someone can help) in 1943. I have checked the Online BDM - and there is no listing for this marriage -so, does anyone know where I would go to find more information? This marriage did not last, and Lewis married again in Perth in 1954 - so that (naturally) leads me to know when a divorce would have happened and if there was any children in this marriage? Has anyone got any suggestions?? The notice below was taken from the "West Australian" 12 Oct 1943 HILLS-RUSS (special IIcence).-OnOctober 9, Victoria, by the Rev Lovell, W. L. (Lewis), RAN. HMAS Shropshire,second eldest son of Mr and Mrs H. Hills. Harrogate-street. Leederville- to olle. daughter of Mr and Mrs Russ, Broad-street, West Footscray I look forward to hearing from anyone who may have some ideas. Cheers Virginia Mount Isa, Qld
Special licence just meant that the couple could marry in a hurry, rather than wait for what statutory period applied. In the 'old' days, marriage was usually by banns - that is, the upcoming marriage was announced in the church for three, or possibly four, weeks prior to the marriage. But marriage by licence was also an option. My g-g-grandparents married by licence in 1855. I'm not sure what the legal requirement was in the 1940s (in NSW it's currently one month and one day), but I'd imagine a lot of couples married by special licence because the groom was due to sail off to war in the very near future. There doesn't seem to be NAA file on William Lewis Hills, but he does appear on the WW2 Nominal Roll. He joined the Navy 2 July, 1938 and was discharged 18 April, 1951. I wonder if the Rev. Lovell was his ship's Chaplain and married the couple .. possibly just before ship was due to sail .. could the marriage have been registered in the ship's home port, or the next port of call. Just a thought. WA marriages only go to 1936, so not possible to check for a Fremantle marriage. You might to look at http://www.hmasshropshire.com/contents.htm - lots of piccies and names mentioned. Never know what you might find. It might even be worth contacting Stan Nicholls, at this site. He served on the Shropshire. Cheers Barbara