A spouse need not be deceased before a person in the colony could marry again. "How To Trace Your Missing Ancestors", by Janet Reakes, states: " Divorce was not as readily available in the past as it is today..... The Catholic Church forbade divorce almost entirely.... English law, however, stated that if a couple were parted by water for more than seven years, even if both parties were still alive, each would be free to remarry and the resulting unions would not be bigamous. This is particularly important to remember when considering Australia's convict past." So, even our convicts used this law, and it was not necessarily written on their marriage certificates. Cheers Marg Smith Mardi NSW Subject: Strange Certificates. > Dear All, I have a family from Scotland who went to Steiglitz goldmining, > and had several children. The woman then has children to another man . Her > marriage certificate said "the above Elizabeth Rankin has been away from > her former husband seven years and having obtained the advice of a Justice > of the Peace, received information tha it was lawful to marry again after > this period. Left her ior deceased on February 18th 1858. Has anyone had > this on a Marriage certificate? > Regards Chris Farrow >