| Record Number |
22369 |
| ISBN |
9781760642143 (paperback) |
| Location |
346.016 SIM |
| Author |
Simmonds, Alecia, (author). |
| Title |
Courting : an intimate history of love and the law / Alecia Simmonds. |
| Published |
Wurundjeri Country ; Collingwood, VIC : La Trobe University Press in conjunction with Black Inc., 2023. |
| ©2023. |
| Collation |
440 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. |
| Content types |
still image |
| text |
| Carrier type |
volume |
| Bibliography Note |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Summary Note |
Alecia Simmonds uncovers a hidden history of love and heartbreak in the archives of law. Until well into the twentieth century, heartbroken men and women in Australia had a legal redress for their suffering: jilted lovers could claim compensation for 'breach of promise to marry'. Hundreds of people, mostly from the working classes, came before the courts, and their stories give us a tantalising insight into the romantic landscape of the past -- where couples met, how they courted, and what happened when flirtations turned sour. In packed courtrooms and breathless newspaper reports, love letters were read as contracts and private gifts and gossip scrutinised as evidence. In Courting, Alecia Simmonds brings these stories vividly to life, revealing the entangled histories of love and the law. Challenging our preconceptions about how previous generations loved and lost, and provoking questions about the ethics of love today, Courting is a fascinating journey into the most intimate corners of the past. |
| Plaintiffs sought compensation for 'lacerated feelings' and for services provided. One woman also sued for compensation, successfully, for the cost of 10,000 dinners served during a 22 year engagement. -- Library. |
| The courts generally accepted that a promise to marry had been made on the basis of documentary evidence, such as love letters, which were read out in court. If the plaintiff was a woman, accompanied by a child, the court generally accepted then that a promise to marry had been made. -- Library. |
| Legal action for breach of promise to marry was generally more rewarding than legal action for maintenance. If the application for compensation for breach of promise to marry was successful, the plaintiff was awarded a lump sum to the extent she would have benefited from the marriage has it occurred, whereas maintenance was paid in installments, and often hard to enforce. |
| Subject |
Equality before the law -- Australia -- History |
| Breach of promise -- Australia -- History |
| Marriage law -- Australia -- History |
| Dating (Social customs) -- Australia -- History |
| Dating (Social customs) -- Australia -- Case studies |
| Courtship -- Australia -- History |
| Man-woman relationships -- Australia -- History |
| Interracial dating -- Australia -- History |
| Race discrimination -- Law and legislation -- History |
| Intimacy (Psychology) |
| Dating (Social customs) -- Law and legislation -- History |
| Dating (Social customs) -- Law and legislation -- History -- Case studies |
| Courtship -- Law and legislation -- History |
| Courtship -- Law and legislation -- History -- Case studies |
