The Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV) has a number of digitised collections available free online for family history researchers. One such trache or records are the Divorce Files and Cause Books.
The records are divided onto 3 sets : Melbourne divorce records (1861-1942) ; Melbourne divorce records (1943-1950) ; and Regional divorce records (1890-1950). If your ancestors divorces in Victoria during these periods, there may be a wealth of information available to you through these records.
The case file will contain a number of documents that might include:
- the petition stating the grievance
- affidavits (or supporting statements) by the petitioner
- a formal answer by the respondent and any co-respondents (in cases of adultery, both parties to the adultery were summoned)
- further affidavits in support of that answer
- orders by the court directing who is to pay for the costs of the case
- a praecipe, which is an order to the clerks of the Court to produce a writ containing the formal decree made by the justice. The praecipe will often have a summary of the decision.
Note that not all cases were heard. Sometimes they were withdrawn before the hearing or otherwise settled.
One such divorce was that of my great grandfather James Nicholas Clark from his first wife Eliza (nee Hawley) in 1897. The file is 55 pages long and includes names, addresses, details of work and living arrangements, where and when the marriage took place, children, and the circumstances of the marriage breakdown.
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