Hi Carol and everyone - In 1910 my grandmother was legally divorced from her husband. I believe at the time a divorced woman was considered "loose", and socially not acceptable. The "social columns" in the town newspaper ceased to record parties where she appeared as a guest or hostess, nor trips etc. that they had previously mentioned. She then lived in several different cities with her son. In every single census, and every city directory, etc., she was shown as "widow". It worked well until she returned to the town in which they had lived - his home town - where everyone knew she wasn't a widow, but the census continued to record her as 'widow', as did her obituary. By that time, her ex-husband had died. Her ex-husband remarried, and was recorded in the usual manner with that wife, but as they lived in New York City, thousands of miles away, it didn't matter. She was officially, legally called Mrs. Edw. Symons, rather than Mrs. Edith Symons, in almost every legal document I've seen. (Although she did sign "Edith Symons" for her will.) Ah, the nebulous bounds of propriety! Cheers, Julia > In checking some censuses I found a sister of my grandfather who was listed > as a widow, then found her husband listed as a widower and alive and living > in London. The widow was living in Wales with her sister. There were no > descendants of the alleged widow or her husband. This may have been the > custom to avoid the "shame" of a failed marriage, but surely people were not > encouraged to lie in official records. Has anyone else found similar items? > Carol in MD >

Hi everyone As a researcher I must say I absolutely love getting all of the additional information that is added to this site. Tonight, Julia's information on her family gave me a complete look at another avenue of research. So I would like to say thanks Julia and all of the workers who put so much time into the Cornish site and for everything you do and I wait for some more additional information. I must add in the newspaper pages many of my early ancestors appear which has helped in my research. Thank you Hazel in Blacktown, NSW

Good morning. I, too, have great great grandparents who did this. In one census, my gg grandmother is still at home with all the children, described as a widow. My gg grandfather is in the census in London, living with a much younger woman and a young child ( don't think the child was his ) and he is described as a widower too. It gets worse ( or better ). In the next census my gg grandfather is living in London with the widow of a deceased brother of his. Next door is my gg grandmother acting as 'housekeeper ' to a gent so she, too, had moved to London. My gg grandmother had caught up with him but in truth it seems they were both 'as bad as each other' or just happy to live just apart as friends - or irritable neighbours! Marc in UK -----Original Message----- From: cornish-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:cornish-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Julia Mosman Sent: 25 September 2012 11:35 To: cornish@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [CORNISH] Divorced women as 'widows' Hi Carol and everyone - In 1910 my grandmother was legally divorced from her husband. I believe at the time a divorced woman was considered "loose", and socially not acceptable. The "social columns" in the town newspaper ceased to record parties where she appeared as a guest or hostess, nor trips etc. that they had previously mentioned. She then lived in several different cities with her son. In every single census, and every city directory, etc., she was shown as "widow". It worked well until she returned to the town in which they had lived - his home town - where everyone knew she wasn't a widow, but the census continued to record her as 'widow', as did her obituary. By that time, her ex-husband had died. Her ex-husband remarried, and was recorded in the usual manner with that wife, but as they lived in New York City, thousands of miles away, it didn't matter. She was officially, legally called Mrs. Edw. Symons, rather than Mrs. Edith Symons, in almost every legal docu! ment I've seen. (Although she did sign "Edith Symons" for her will.) Ah, the nebulous bounds of propriety! Cheers, Julia > In checking some censuses I found a sister of my grandfather who was > listed as a widow, then found her husband listed as a widower and > alive and living in London. The widow was living in Wales with her > sister. There were no descendants of the alleged widow or her > husband. This may have been the custom to avoid the "shame" of a > failed marriage, but surely people were not encouraged to lie in official records. Has anyone else found similar items? > Carol in MD > ------------------------------- Subscribe to digest by sending an email to CORNISH-D-request@rootsweb.com with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line and body text. If you want, MIME digests, email CORNISH-admin@rootsweb.com. Unsubscribe from either by sending an email to CORNISH-request@rootsweb.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CORNISH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message