The Forrest City times., 1904-01-22
wIFE-SELLING IN ENGLAND.
In Some Counties II Is n Custom Fol-
lowed in obedience to Almost
Local Law.

case at Marlborough street police court
The other day, where it was shown that
the defendant had got rid of his wifo
by selling her for couple of shillings.
For presidents for this commercial
form of divorce some journalists have
searched the records of q century ago,
and produced numerous instances of
wives being led to the cattle market
and there knocked down TO the highest
bidder. But it is not necessary to go
back hundred years for such sales OF
wives, states the London Globe. There
are sufficient modern instances to main
tain the assertion that wife selling is
still British custom. There are hum
dreds of people who still believe that
to transfer a wife to another man for
cash payment is a legal TRANSACTION,
and valid dissolution of matrimonial
ties. As popular error it ranks with
the idea that if husband or wife be alb
sent or unheard of for seven years the
other half is free to marry again. In
Yorkshire generally. and in Sheffield III
particular. this doctrine OF wife-seHing
Is still so firmly established and fire.
than the force of local law
Legends of Sheffield grinders who in
drunken bouts sell their wives for a quart
OF ale are well known. But nowadays
such transactions are no longer conduct
ed off-hand. They are invested with
formality. as witness this document
which figured in a case at the Sheffield
county court in 1887: AT the Royal
Oak, Sheffield. |, Abraham Boothroyd.
agree to sell my wife, Clara, to William
Hall for the sum of 5s." In another
case the bargaining was accidentally
| overheard in public house by
Sheffield journalist A Golfers wife had
transferred her affections to another
man, and the husband was willing to re-
| nounce his claim for suitable compen-
| sation. So the parties assembled in a
| public house to arrange matters. There
was the husband with friend; his wife
with her father and mother, and the
| prospective purchaser with a friend
| The husband demanded G3 for his wife;
she herself said it was too much, and her
new man said he wouldn't give more
| than sovereign. Finally 30s. was the
sum agreed upon it was paid over, and
this document drawn up, signed, and
witnessed: Mr.. Taylor to have my
wife, Elizabeth Smith, free from me for
ever, to do as she has a mind, this day,
December II, 1893
These are merely two recent cases
| which have come to light The major
| ity of such sales Of wives never attain
| publicity. At Leeds assizes in 1895,
Benjamin Gibbons was tried for bigamy
He admitted that he had married
woman while his first wife was alive. but
he pleaded that as he had sold her he
was entitled to marry again. She was
youns woman and unruly; even though
he constantly gave her good hidings she
troubled him. and firing Of her he sold
her to a soldier for So. Sd. She went
quite willingly and had married her pur-
chaser. Again, at Leeds assizes three
years ago, another bigamist offered the
same defense. On his arrest he stated:
When married her knew had wife
living, but | sold her for sos" More re-
Gently at Stockport an elderly man told
the magistrates that he thought he was
entitled to marry again as he had sold
his first wife to chimney sweep for
eighteenpence.
In each case 1t will be noted that the
purchase money is mall. This is not
due to a low valuation of the woman.
but a nominal sum is agreed upon to
make the bargain an actual one The
legal doctrine of value received" is so
far understood by the vulgar mind The
sale. indeed. is the poor mans divorce
His honesty in this matter is shown by
his retention of the children of the mar.
riage ant his maintenance of them. In
a case at Doncaster in 1896 the pur-
chaser. instead of paying cash, agreed
to take over the vendors four chiudren
with the wife This was the document
which figured later in the police court:
New Conisbora, March 2S. 1851,
Enoch Childs. is quite willing to take
your wife and children as mine, that is
your wife. Ellen Tart. and Sarah, John,
Henry and EliZa.-Signed, Ellen Tart,
Enoch Childs."
Though Lancashire is so kin to York
shire no sales of wives are known in
the County Palate. But al Alfreton, in
Derbyshire, a collier sold his wife for
fourpence in 1882 In 1873 there was a
remarkable case at Belper; the wife of
an absconding debtor had a halter
placed about her neck and was led into
she market place on Saturday afternoon
and offered for sale by auction as one of
her husbands assets. But there were
no bidders and no sale. About four
years ago Irthlingborough, near North
ampton, supplied a southern instance
A shoemaker paraded the street with
bell calling up on all persons to know
that he had that afternoon sold and be-
queathed" his wife to John - He
proclaimed the names of two compan-
ions as witnesses to the transaction The
purchase money was two shillings Mr..
Barring Gould cites similar sales in the
West country, and to go back more than
80 years would mean the extension of
this subject to intolerable length, for
O.