Sexual slander in nineteenth-century England : defamation in the ecclesiastical courts, 1815-1855
Type
Book
Authors
ISBN 10
0802047505
ISBN 13
9780802047502
DDC
346.4203
Category
United Kingdom
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Publication Year
2000
Publisher
Pages
xvi, 315 pages
Subject
Women and the Law
Tags
Abstract
"In a study based on court records and lawyers' correspondence, Stephen Waddams shows how the law worked not only in theory but in practice. He concludes that, though this branch of the law had many deficiencies, it also had certain merits, especially from the point of view of women, who constituted 90 per cent of all complainants. The evidence of the witnesses supplies details of day-to-day events and of social attitudes from the words of participants, who were mostly of a very modest social status and not accustomed to recording their views. Their evidence provides a valuable perspective not generally available to historians." "The study is of importance to legal historians and to all who have an interest in nineteenth-century England, especially to those concerned with the sexual reputation of women."--BOOK JACKET
Description
Contents:
Introduction: 'Grievous and oppressive to the subjects of this realm' -- 1. The Common Law -- 2. The Ecclesiastical Law -- 3. The Courts and Their Officers -- 4. Patterns of Litigation -- 5. Evidence -- 6. Costs -- 7. Penance -- 8. The Parties -- 9. The Injury -- 10. Motives -- 11. Consequences -- Postscript: 'A barbarous state of our law' -- Table 1. Ecclesiastical court business, 1827-30 -- Table 2. Defamation cases by diocese, 1815-55, with diocesan populations in 1835 -- Table 3. Defamation cases by five-year periods, 1815-55 -- Table 4. Defamation cases by sex and martial status of parties (Norwich and York) -- Table 5. Populations of places of plaintiffs' residence (Norwich) -- Table 6. Disposition of causes at various stages of litigation (Norwich) -- Table 7. Sex and literacy of witnesses (Norwich and York) -- App. A. Illustrative Cause Papers -- App. B. Occupations of Parties and Parties' Husbands (Norwich and York) and of Male Plaintiffs (England and Wales).
Introduction: 'Grievous and oppressive to the subjects of this realm' -- 1. The Common Law -- 2. The Ecclesiastical Law -- 3. The Courts and Their Officers -- 4. Patterns of Litigation -- 5. Evidence -- 6. Costs -- 7. Penance -- 8. The Parties -- 9. The Injury -- 10. Motives -- 11. Consequences -- Postscript: 'A barbarous state of our law' -- Table 1. Ecclesiastical court business, 1827-30 -- Table 2. Defamation cases by diocese, 1815-55, with diocesan populations in 1835 -- Table 3. Defamation cases by five-year periods, 1815-55 -- Table 4. Defamation cases by sex and martial status of parties (Norwich and York) -- Table 5. Populations of places of plaintiffs' residence (Norwich) -- Table 6. Disposition of causes at various stages of litigation (Norwich) -- Table 7. Sex and literacy of witnesses (Norwich and York) -- App. A. Illustrative Cause Papers -- App. B. Occupations of Parties and Parties' Husbands (Norwich and York) and of Male Plaintiffs (England and Wales).
Biblio Notes
Includes bibliographical references (pages 291-294) and index.
Number of Copies
1
