Divorce and Separation in Scotland, C

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Divorce and Separation in Scotland, C Butler, Meagan Lee (2014) "Husbands without wives, and wives without husbands": divorce and separation in Scotland, c. 1830-1890. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5264/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten:Theses http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] “Husbands without wives, and wives without husbands”: Divorce and Separation in Scotland, c. 1830-1890 Meagan Lee Butler BS (Hons), MSc Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Economic and Social History School of Social and Political Sciences College of Social Sciences University of Glasgow May 2014 2 Abstract This thesis explores divorce and judicial separation as it occurred in nineteenth-century Scotland, between the years 1830 and 1890, predating the phenomenon it came to be in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. As Scotland’s history has frequently been incorporated within a general history of Great Britain, this thesis separates it from the widely researched accounts of marriage and marital breakdown in England to highlight the different approach to regulating marriage, divorce and separation under Scots law. Applying Scotland’s distinctive legal, demographic and economic context has provided a social and gender history of marriage breakdown unique to the country, and filled a historiographical gap for the nineteenth century. This research will be presented through separate analyses of divorce for adultery, desertion—both official and unofficial, and marital cruelty in the civil and criminal courts. To present individual experiences inside the courtroom, Court of Session divorce and separation cases are used and supplemented with newspaper accounts of Court of Session trials. To provide context to the related discourses, Parliamentary papers and newspaper articles are used. Lastly, to address the unofficial instances of marital breakdown, criminal court trials of wifebeating and poor relief applications from deserted wives are also analysed. This thesis argues that despite comparably liberal divorce and separation laws established in the sixteenth century, legal, economic, social and cultural factors and discourses imposed on the accessibility of these legal forms of marital breakdown. Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 2 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ 5 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 9 Historical Gaps: Expanding on the Scottish Experience ................................................................ 11 Sources and Methodology ............................................................................................................ 17 Thesis Structure ............................................................................................................................ 22 Chapter One: Legal Context of Scots Marriage, Divorce and Judicial Separation Law in the Nineteenth Century ..................................................................................................... 26 Overview of Scottish Marriage Law .............................................................................................. 27 Divorce Law in Scotland ................................................................................................................ 32 Judicial Separation and Marital Cruelty in Scots Law ................................................................... 34 Legislative Change in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century ............................................... 41 Chapter Two: General Trends of Scottish Divorce and Judicial Separation ................... 52 Population and Marriage in Scotland ........................................................................................... 52 Perceptions and Accessibility of Divorce and Separation ............................................................. 56 Discovering Trends with Parliamentary Papers and Census Reports ........................................... 68 Trends and Patterns in the Court of Session Records ................................................................... 81 Chapter Three: Divorce and Adultery ................................................................................. 89 Found Patterns of Adultery in Court of Session Sample Study ................................................... 101 The Adulterous Spouse and the Paramour ................................................................................. 116 Excuses for Adultery: Insight into Scottish lives ......................................................................... 122 Chapter Four: Divorce and Desertion................................................................................ 129 Official Desertion in Court of Session Divorce Records .............................................................. 135 Unofficial Desertion in Poor Relief Records ................................................................................ 149 Chapter Five: Separation and Cruelty, Part I................................................................... 175 4 Contemporary Discourse on Wife Beating in Scotland ............................................................... 181 Chapter Five: Separation and Cruelty, Part II ................................................................. 197 Introduction: Sources and Findings in Court of Session Judicial Separation and Criminal Court Cases ........................................................................................................................................... 197 Cruelty as Defined by Scots Law and Forms of Violence and Abuse Found in Cases ................. 198 The Evolution of Mental Abuse as Cruelty .................................................................................. 212 Marital Cruelty and Children ....................................................................................................... 216 Sources of Conflict and Provocation in Separation Cases and Criminal Court Cases ................. 221 Perceptions of Marital Violence.................................................................................................. 230 Intervention and Relationships ................................................................................................... 232 Conclusion: Continuity and Change in Nineteenth-Century Scottish Divorce and Separation ............................................................................................................................. 241 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 251 List of Tables Table I.1 Court of Session Source Data Sets 19 Table 2.1 Scottish Marriages per Year in Comparison with Population in Scotland 54 Table 2.2 Cost of Trials, Court of Session Cases, 1830-1880 63 Table 2.3 Socioeconomic Status of Litigants with Listed Occupations, Court of Session 67 Table 2.4 Scottish Marriage, Divorce and Population Trends 72 Table 2.5 Court of Session Decrees, Benchmark Years, 1830-1880 86 Table 2.6 Gender Comparison by Decree and Cause, Court of Session, Benchmark Years, 1830-1880 87 Table 3.1 Sample Set of Court of Session Divorce for Adultery Cases 90 Table 4.1 Length of Marriage up to Desertion, Court of Session Cases 135 Table 4.2 Interval between Desertion and Action, Court of Session Cases 136 Table 4.3 Length of Divorce for Desertion Action, Court of Session Cases 136 Table 4.4 Presence of Children in Court of Session Desertion Cases 137 Table 4.5 Number of Poor Relief Application of Deserted Wives Collected 162 Table 4.6 Length between Marriage and Desertion, PRA Paisley 163 Table 4.7 Interval between Desertion and Action, PRA Paisley 163 Table 4.8 Ages of Applicants Listed as Deserted Wives, Poor Relief 163 Table 4.9 Wholly or Partially Disabled, Poor Relief 166 Table 4.10 Result of Application, Poor Relief 170 Table 5.1 Residence & Occupations of Separation & Aliment Case Couples 200 Table 5.2 Marriage and Cruelty, Court of Session Cases 201 Table 5.3 Criminal Courts Where Sample of Wifebeating Cases were Tried, 1831-1896 203 Table 5.4 Sample of Wifebeating Cases Tried in Criminal Courts & Reported by Local Newspapers, 1831-1896 205 Table 5.5 Children and Cruelty, Court of Session Cases 218 Table 5.6 Provocation & Drink Defences Found in Wifebeating Cases Tried in Criminal Courts and Reported by Local Newspapers, 1831-1896 225 Graph 2.1 No. of Marriages per 100,000 People in Scotland
Recommended publications
  • The Early Career of Thomas Craig, Advocate
    Finlay, J. (2004) The early career of Thomas Craig, advocate. Edinburgh Law Review, 8 (3). pp. 298-328. ISSN 1364-9809 http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/37849/ Deposited on: 02 April 2012 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk EdinLR Vol 8 pp 298-328 The Early Career of Thomas Craig, Advocate John Finlay* Analysis of the clients of the advocate and jurist Thomas Craig of Riccarton in a formative period of his practice as an advocate can be valuable in demonstrating the dynamics of a career that was to be noteworthy not only in Scottish but in international terms. However, it raises the question of whether Craig’s undoubted reputation as a writer has led to a misleading assessment of his prominence as an advocate in the legal profession of his day. A. INTRODUCTION Thomas Craig (c 1538–1608) is best known to posterity as the author of Jus Feudale and as a commissioner appointed by James VI in 1604 to discuss the possi- bility of a union of laws between England and Scotland.1 Following from the latter enterprise, he was the author of De Hominio (published in 1695 as Scotland”s * Lecturer in Law, University of Glasgow. The research required to complete this article was made possible by an award under the research leave scheme of the Arts and Humanities Research Board and the author is very grateful for this support. He also wishes to thank Dr Sharon Adams, Mr John H Ballantyne, Dr Julian Goodare and Mr W D H Sellar for comments on drafts of this article, the anonymous reviewer for the Edinburgh Law Review, and also the members of the Scottish Legal History Group to whom an early version of this paper was presented in October 2003.
    [Show full text]
  • The Scottish Translations of the Rôles D'oléron
    This is a publication of The Stair Society. This publication is licensed by Edda Frankot and The Stair Society under Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND and may be freely shared for non-commercial purposes so long as the creators are credited. Edda Frankot, “The Scottish Translations of the Rôles d’Oléron: Edition and Commentary”, in A. M. Godfrey (ed.), Miscellany Eight [Stair Society vol. 67] (Edinburgh, 2020), pp. 13–56 http://doi.org/10.36098/stairsoc/misc8.2 The Stair Society was founded in 1934 to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of Scots Law, by the publication of original works, and by the reprinting and editing of works of rarity or importance. As a member of the Society, you will receive a copy of every volume published during your membership. Volumes are bound in hardcover and produced to a high quality. We also offer the opportunity to purchase past volumes in stock at substantially discounted prices; pre-publication access to material in press; and free access to the complete electronic versions of Stair Soci- ety publications on HeinOnline. Membership of the society is open to all with an interest in the history of Scots law, whether based in the UK or abroad. Indivi- dual members include practising lawyers, legal academics, law students and others. Corporate members include a wide range of academic and professional institutions, libraries and law firms. Membership rates are modest, and we offer concessionary rates for students, recently qualified and called solicitors and advocates, and those undertaking training for these qualifica- tions.
    [Show full text]
  • This Is a Publication of the Stair Society. This Publication Is Licensed by Thomas H
    This is a publication of The Stair Society. This publication is licensed by Thomas H. Drysdale and The Stair Society under Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND and may be freely shared for non-commercial purposes so long as the creators are credited. Thomas H. Drysdale, ‘The Stair Society: The Early Years’, in: Stair Society 52 [Miscellany V] (2005) 243–267 https://doi.org/10.36098/stairsoc/history.1 The Stair Society was founded in 1934 to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of Scots Law, by the publication of original works, and by the reprinting and editing of works of rarity or importance. As a member of the Society, you will receive a copy of every volume published during your membership. Volumes are bound in hardcover and produced to a high quality. We also offer the opportunity to purchase past volumes in stock at substantially discounted prices; pre-publication access to material in press; and free access to the complete electronic versions of Stair Soci- ety publications on HeinOnline. Membership of the society is open to all with an interest in the history of Scots law, whether based in the UK or abroad. Indivi- dual members include practising lawyers, legal academics, law students and others. Corporate members include a wide range of academic and professional institutions, libraries and law firms. Membership rates are modest, and we offer concessionary rates for students, recently qualified and called solicitors and advocates, and those undertaking training for these qualifica- tions. Please visit:
    [Show full text]
  • Finlay Scots Lawyers Stairsoc
    This is a publication of The Stair Society. This publication is licensed by John Finlay and The Stair Society under Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND and may be freely shared for non-commercial purposes so long as the creators are credited. John Finlay, ‘Scots Lawyers, England, and the Union of 1707’, in: Stair Society 62 [Miscellany VII] (2015) 243-263 http://doi.org/10.36098/stairsoc/9781872517292.4 The Stair Society was founded in 1934 to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of Scots Law, by the publication of original works, and by the reprinting and editing of works of rarity or importance. As a member of the Society, you will receive a copy of every volume published during your membership. Volumes are bound in hardcover and produced to a high quality. We also offer the opportunity to purchase past volumes in stock at substantially discounted prices; pre-publication access to material in press; and free access to the complete electronic versions of Stair Soci- ety publications on HeinOnline. Membership of the society is open to all with an interest in the history of Scots law, whether based in the UK or abroad. Indivi- dual members include practising lawyers, legal academics, law students and others. Corporate members include a wide range of academic and professional institutions, libraries and law firms. Membership rates are modest, and we offer concessionary rates for students, recently qualified and called solicitors and advocates, and those undertaking training for these qualifica- tions. Please visit: http://stairsociety.org/membership/apply SCOTS LAWYERS, ENGLAND, AND THE UNION OF 1707 JOHN FINLAY I Support from the legal profession in Scotland was important in securing parliamentary union in 1707.1 At this time, the membership of the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh was greater than it had ever been, therefore their support, and that of the judges in the Court of Session, was worth gaining.
    [Show full text]
  • P25-Winterton
    A 100-year record of changing toxic algae in Scottish coastal waters relating to climate change Cathy Winterton1, William Austin1,2, Eileen Bresnan3 and Keith Davidson1 ¹Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland, ²University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, ³Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, Scotland. Background Dinoflagellates are known to have responded to climate change. Data from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) show that regional distribution and abundance of some HAB genera have changed in the northeast Atlantic in the past 50 years. These changes correspond to increasing sea surface temperatures and windier summers, drivers that are associated with climate change (Edwards et al., 2006, Hinder et al., 2012). In Scottish waters, the Group I strain in the Alexandrium tamarense species complex are potent producers of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins. The non toxin producing Group III strain (as defined by Lilly et al., 2007) —previously thought to be limited to the south coast of England— has recently been recorded around the Scottish coast (Collins et al., 2009, Brown et al., 2010). Figure 2| PSP concentrations in Scottish shellfish (1991-2013). Figure 3| Monthly averaged Alexandrium cell counts from Stonehaven monitoring site (1996-2013). Figures 2 & 3 are derived from coastal ecosystem monitoring programmes. Figure 2 combines data from Marine Scotland Science (MSS) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS). Figure 3 is based on MSS data. These plots show the changes in the toxicity of Scottish shellfish since monitoring began (fig. 2), alongside Alexandrium cell counts at MSS’s Stonehaven monitoring site on the east coast of Scotland (fig.3). The cell counts show variability in the abundance and timing of Alexandrium blooms (source: Eileen Bresnan, MSS).
    [Show full text]
  • First Minister
    BRIEFING FOR THE FIRST MINISTER SG/UNICEF SOCIAL POLICY SUMMIT ON TACKLING CHILD POVERTY TUESDAY 10th April 2018 Key message Scotland and China face common challenges and have much to gain from working together to meet our obligations on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Sustainable Goals for Development. Scotland is an outward looking country and we will continue to be good global citizens and play our part in the fight against global poverty, inequality and injustice. We are committed to sharing Scotland’s approach to tackling and measuring child poverty with Chinese policy makers. What Joint SG/UNICEF social policy summit (hosted by the Chinese Friendship Association) on tackling child poverty - “Children’s Rights and Equity: closing gaps for the poorest children”. Opening with: FM key note speech on the importance of tackling child poverty to promote social justice. To note: the key note speech will be followed by a roundtable (facilitated by UNICEF) between Scottish policy makers/academics and Chinese counterparts (FM will not attend this). Simultaneous translation Why [REDACTED] Stimulate future joint working between Scotland and China, to tackle child poverty. To note: the key note speech will be followed by a roundtable (facilitated by UNICEF) between Scottish policy makers/academics and Chinese counterparts (FM will not attend this). Who Audience of 150 Chinese policy makers, social policy students and academics, including: President of Chinese Friendship Association - Li Xiaolin [MS LEE] UNICEF Representative
    [Show full text]
  • The Vita Cragii of James Baillie”, in A
    This is a publication of The Stair Society. This publication is licensed by Leslie Dodd and The Stair Society under Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND and may be freely shared for non-commercial purposes so long as the creators are credited. Leslie Dodd, “The Vita Cragii of James Baillie”, in A. M. Godfrey (ed.), Miscellany Eight [Stair Society vol. 68] (Edinburgh, 2020), pp. 265–283 http://doi.org/10.36098/stairsoc/misc8.7 The Stair Society was founded in 1934 to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of Scots Law, by the publication of original works, and by the reprinting and editing of works of rarity or importance. As a member of the Society, you will receive a copy of every volume published during your membership. Volumes are bound in hardcover and produced to a high quality. We also offer the opportunity to purchase past volumes in stock at substantially discounted prices; pre-publication access to material in press; and free access to the complete electronic versions of Stair Soci- ety publications on HeinOnline. Membership of the society is open to all with an interest in the history of Scots law, whether based in the UK or abroad. Indivi- dual members include practising lawyers, legal academics, law students and others. Corporate members include a wide range of academic and professional institutions, libraries and law firms. Membership rates are modest, and we offer concessionary rates for students, recently qualified and called solicitors and advocates, and those undertaking training for these qualifica- tions. Please visit: http://stairsociety.org/membership/apply THE VITA CRAGII OF JAMES BAILLIE 265 THE VITA CRAGII OF JAMES BAILLIE LESLIE DODD The following is a translation and Latin text of James Baillie’s De D.
    [Show full text]
  • Ius Civile in Scotland, Ca. 1600
    Ius Civile in Scotland, ca. 1600 John W. Cairns* In 1922, J. D. Mackie and W. C. Dickinson published in the Scot- tish Historical Review an important document "unearthed from among the treasures of the British Museum."1 The soil in which it had lain concealed was that of the famous Cottonian manuscripts. The particular manuscript was entitled Relation of the Manner of Judicatores of Scotland.2 The editors provided a short introduc- tion in which they were mainly concerned with dating the text and speculating on its authorship through an analysis of the con- tents; while there was some contradictory evidence, they con- cluded, somewhat cautiously, that there was no reason why the "document should not be dated soon after the Union of 1603."3 This seems convincing. They also speculated — quite plausibly — that "it was one of the very documents which formed the basis of negotiations between the commissioners appointed by England and Scotland"4 to fulfil James VI's dream of a union — including a union of the laws — of his kingdoms.5 The nature of the text — evidently drafted by a Scottish lawyer to inform an English law- yer about the institutions of the Scottish legal system and their procedures — supports this, although one could well imagine other reasons for its composition. Mackie and Dickinson suggest- ed two possible authors: Thomas Hamilton, Earl of Melrose, and Sir John Skene, both of whom were Scottish commissioners for Union; one might also add the possibility of Thomas Craig of Riccarton, another Scottish commissioner, although this is un- likely.
    [Show full text]
  • Edinburgh's Christmas and Edinburgh's Hogmanay
    Culture and Communities Committee 10.00am, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay - Key Performance Indicators 2018/19 Executive/routine Executive Wards All Council Commitments 46 1. Recommendations 1.1 The Culture and Communities Committee is asked to note: 1.1.1 the extension of the Christmas and Hogmanay contracts under delegated authority for a period of two years (2020/21 and 2021/22) and terminating them one year early in March 2022 at the conclusion of Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2021/22; and 1.1.2 the outcomes of the 2018/19 events. Paul Lawrence Executive Director of Place Contact: David Waddell, Senior Events Officer E-mail: [email protected] | Tel: 0131 529 4929 Report Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay - Key Performance Indicators 2018/19 2. Executive Summary 2.1 This report provides an update on Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2018/19 against both events’ Key Performance Indicators. 3. Background 3.1 Underbelly is contracted from April 2017 to March 2023 to deliver up to six editions of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and Edinburgh’s Christmas. The contract is structured as an initial three years (concluding 2019/20), with a further three years permitted on an annual basis subject to performance. Through the delivery of this Festival and event programme, the Council aims to ensure that Edinburgh maintains its position as an attractive destination city for residents and visitors throughout the winter season and to: 3.1.1 deliver an event of
    [Show full text]
  • Historic Forfar, the Archaeological Implications of Development
    Freshwater Scottish loch settlements of the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods; with particular reference to northern Stirlingshire, central and northern Perthshire, northern Angus, Loch Awe and Loch Lomond Matthew Shelley PhD The University of Edinburgh 2009 Declaration The work contained within this thesis is the candidate’s own and has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Signed ……………………………………………………………………………… Acknowledgements I would like to thank all those who have provided me with support, advice and information throughout my research. These include: Steve Boardman, Nick Dixon, Gordon Thomas, John Raven, Anne Crone, Chris Fleet, Ian Orrock, Alex Hale, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage. Abstract Freshwater loch settlements were a feature of society, indeed the societies, which inhabited what we now call Scotland during the prehistoric and historic periods. Considerable research has been carried out into the prehistoric and early historic origins and role of artificial islands, commonly known as crannogs. However archaeologists and historians have paid little attention to either artificial islands, or loch settlements more generally, in the Late Medieval or Early Modern periods. This thesis attempts to open up the field by examining some of the physical, chorographic and other textual evidence for the role of settled freshwater natural, artificial and modified islands during these periods. It principally concentrates on areas of central Scotland but also considers the rest of the mainland. It also places the evidence in a broader British, Irish and European context. The results indicate that islands fulfilled a wide range of functions as secular and religious settlements. They were adopted by groups from different cultural backgrounds and provided those exercising lordship with the opportunity to exercise a degree of social detachment while providing a highly visible means of declaring their authority.
    [Show full text]
  • NILQ 61.4.2 FARRAN.Qxd
    Northumbria Research Link Citation: Farran, Sue (2010) Scots law: a system in search of a family? Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 61 (4). pp. 311-327. ISSN 0029-3105 Published by: Queen's University Belfast URL: This version was downloaded from Northumbria Research Link: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/4439/ Northumbria University has developed Northumbria Research Link (NRL) to enable users to access the University’s research output. Copyright © and moral rights for items on NRL are retained by the individual author(s) and/or other copyright owners. Single copies of full items can be reproduced, displayed or performed, and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided the authors, title and full bibliographic details are given, as well as a hyperlink and/or URL to the original metadata page. The content must not be changed in any way. Full items must not be sold commercially in any format or medium without formal permission of the copyright holder. The full policy is available online: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/policies.html This document may differ from the final, published version of the research and has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies. To read and/or cite from the published version of the research, please visit the publisher’s website (a subscription may be required.) NILQ 61(4): 311–27 Scots law: a system in search of a family? SUE FARRAN University of Dundee Abstract The concept of legal families is familiar to most comparativists and although miscegenation is an increasingly common feature in a global community, arguably an understanding of family origins may help to anticipate differences of approach, ideology, attitudes to law and diverging normative values.
    [Show full text]
  • GAME and COARSE ANGLING in SCOTLAND the Economic Impact of GAME and COARSE ANGLING in SCOTLAND
    The Economic Impact of GAME AND COARSE ANGLING IN SCOTLAND The Economic Impact of GAME AND COARSE ANGLING IN SCOTLAND Scottish Executive Edinburgh 2004 © Crown copyright 2004 ISBN 0 7559 4184 5 Published by Scottish Executive St Andrew’s House Edinburgh Produced for the Scottish Executive by Astron B34971 03-04 Further copies are available from The Stationery Office Bookshop 71 Lothian Road Edinburgh EH3 9AZ Tel: 0870 606 55 66 The text pages of this document are produced from 100% elemental chlorine-free, environmentally-preferred material and are 100% recyclable. Research Report: The Economic Impact of Game and Coarse Angling in Scotland Alan Radford, Geoff Riddington, John Anderson, Glasgow Caledonian University Hervey Gibson, Cogentsi Research International Ltd Prepared for Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department 1 2 Contents Foreword………………………………………………….. 7 Executive Summary……………………………………… 9 1 Introduction................................................................15 1.1 Background ........................................................................................ 15 1.2 Outputs............................................................................................... 15 1.3 Structure of the Research Report...................................................... 17 1.4 Overview of the study method........................................................... 17 1.5 Acknowledgements:........................................................................... 18 2 Literature Review.......................................................19
    [Show full text]