Broken Bonds: New Perspectives on Marital Breakdown in the English Common Law World, 1801-1969
20th April 2026, 9.30am - 5.30pm in The Great Hall of Northumbria University, Sutherland Building, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Marital breakdown is not a modern phenomenon. Options available to separating spouses in the English Common Law World were, however, heavily restricted by gender and economic status, with wives occupying a significantly more vulnerable position. Before 1857, full divorce remained the preserve of wealthy men who could navigate the expensive Parliamentary divorce process. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 transformed this landscape, establishing the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes and making divorce accessible beyond the elite. This legislation influenced divorce law in England and Wales and across the Common Law World well into the twentieth century.
[The deadline for submitting abstracts is Monday, February 2, 2026. For more information, visit the conference website.]
