As weird as it sounds, in the UK a man could not marry his late wife's sister until 1907, and couldn't marry his brother's widow until 1921. This was because church law saw these sisters-in-law as too close a relation to marry.
So what happened to a brother and sister-in-law who wished to marry before that? Well, in some cases they simply found another fiancée, in others they did marry but moved to an area where they wouldn't be recognised; some pretended that they were married, and some lived together in an informal arrangement - with the woman perhaps posing as a housekeeper or other servant.
The Victorians did not make it easy to tell an innocent situation from one more scandalous - but then, that was the point I suppose. Suicides, for example, were often recorded as accidents - and you have to be very careful if you find a 'seamstress' in the family, she could be someone who actually makes dresses, and not hiding her real occupation at all.
Yes, it can be confusing - but it also makes it all very interesting! Bye for now!
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