On Friday 13th March 1914, Agnes Culley, resident at 248 Hilltown, Dundee, took her husband of 24 years to Court for an action of separation and aliment at the rate of 6s per week. Her husband, James Culley, who was resident at 10 Isla Street in Dundee did not appear and was not defended.
Agnes further pressed the Court to grant an interdict to prevent James from “molesting or interfering” with her. With the action undefended, Sheriff Neish sat back and let Agnes regale him with the particulars surrounding her case. The 42-year-old woman told the Sheriff that she had married James in St Mary’s Chapel on 28th July 1890, and all had seemed well.
James enlisted in the militia around 2 or 3 years into the marriage and after a short time, joined the Army. For nine years following his enlistment, he was absent from Dundee, most of his time being spent in India, with 2 years in South Africa. He corresponded occasionally, but not frequently with his wife during this time, but she continued to receive the usual spousal allowance from the army authorities.
She also continued to raise their 2 children alone the entire time that their father was away, as well as hold down a job as a merino sorter in the town all throughout her 20s. In mid-1902, James eventually returned to their property in Hilltown, but after only a few weeks, he began staying out all night. This behaviour went on for months before he left again in 1903, this time to the Army Depot in Perth.
The same erratic behaviour occurred, with him not returning home for long periods of time, despite him being in Perth, and, when he did return, his habits of not coming home at night were as frequent, if not worse. Agnes put up with this for years, all throughout her 30’s. The kids had grown, married and fled the nest, which left Agnes alone and still without a husband at home, despite having one by law.
It wasn’t until late 1913 when Agnes heard the devastating news that not only had her husband been committing adultery, but he had also been living with another woman in Perth since 1904, as common-law husband and wife, and she had borne him at least one child! Agnes didn’t blame the other woman – neither of them had any idea the other existed and were as horrified as each other.
In Court, Sheriff Neish not only found James guilty of adultery, he upheld Agnes’ request not only just for an interdict to be served on James to stop him from coming near her ever again, but also for her request for alimony. She was granted 6s per week from his wages from the Army and got herself a divorce from her philandering husband.
Whatever happened to the “other” woman, maybe we will never know, as her identity was kept secret. We hope she kicked his cheating, lying ass out onto the street, but, as we know, love is a funny old game.