The Story of Divorce – Deborah Siddoway

Charles II and the First English Divorce

This is an abridged extract from The Story of Divorce, which looks at the first English divorce, and the role that Charles II’s marital woes may have played in the outcome. The year was 1670 and Charles II, the ‘Merry Monarch’, was on the throne. The Cavalier Parliament was only halfway through what would becomeContinue reading “Charles II and the First English Divorce”

The Selected Letters of Caroline Norton in Three Volumes – Some Thoughts

The Selected Letters of Caroline Norton: Volume III by Ross Belson My rating: 5 of 5 stars I wanted to write a review to encompass all three volumes of Caroline Norton’s correspondence, and now that I have finished reading all three I am finally in a place where I can do so. Please note, though,Continue reading “The Selected Letters of Caroline Norton in Three Volumes – Some Thoughts”

Mrs Dalrymple: A Story of Bigamy and Betrayal

I think it is time to share another story of divorce, one that brought a wry smile to my face. This time, it is the story of a lady who was not prepared to sit in silence as her husband tried to turn his back on her and take everything from her. She had spirit,Continue reading “Mrs Dalrymple: A Story of Bigamy and Betrayal”

Wedding Dress Woes

Is there anything in life more stressful than moving house? Having found my dream home in Northumberland, I am now starting to get my house packed up and ready for the big move North. Today’s task was sorting out my garage. Easy enough, one would think, albeit a tad dusty with the risk of aContinue reading “Wedding Dress Woes”

How I Came to The Story of Divorce

If I was going to pinpoint the reason for why I was inspired to write The Story of Divorce, I guess, to some extent, I am going to have to blame Dickens. But before we get to the inimitable novelist and the reason why he was responsible for my obsession with the stories underlying theContinue reading “How I Came to The Story of Divorce”

Ann Dawson, A Story of (No) Divorce

While researching the life and political writing of Caroline Norton for my MA I spent some time trawling through the archives of digital newspapers of the time, going over references to her, and to the issue of divorce law reform in general. During one of my (many) visits to the British Library while I wasContinue reading “Ann Dawson, A Story of (No) Divorce”