From jail to veil: Married while on trial

A curious wedding location

Making a false statement can get you into a lot of trouble, but nothing on par with Oliuff Knudsen, who found himself in a strange predicament in 1893.

The marriage certificate in our Registry archives seemed plain enough.

“Marriage of Oliuff Ambrose KNUDSEN to Maria Helena CASEY in 1893 at Orange. Oliuff was a cook and Maria was a domestic servant. They married at Mr. Daley's residence at Orange.” 

But who was Mr. Daley? Did the couple work for him? Was he a friend or relative?

A search of newspapers on the National Library of Australia’s Trove website turned up information about Mr. Daley in Orange. He was the town gaoler.

So why would the town gaoler be hosting a wedding? We decided to go digging. 

Suspicious activity at the Registry

On 3 December 1892, Oliff Knudsen visited the local registry to register the birth of his child. He claimed he’d been married to Maria Casey in Orange on 4 February 1892. The Sydney Morning Herald reported: 

“He then afterwards called on the Registrar and said he was not married in Orange, but in Sydney by a Wesleyan minister named James Beck, who had a gown on at the time. It was pointed out to him that a Wesleyan minister did not wear gowns and that there was no such minister as James Beck in the colony at the time of his alleged marriage.” 

The Registry staff were understandably suspicious.

Tragically, a short time later, the child died. Knudsen returned to register his child’s death. The Registry staff were now on guard. He was asked to produce his marriage certificate. He claimed that it was lost.

At this point the Registrar, William Bucknell of the Registrar-General's department, realised that no marriage had ever taken place.

Knudsen was arrested and committed for trial.

Drama in the courtroom

As the case moved to the courtroom, on Monday 22 February 1893, events took a surprising turn. According to the Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal:

“Knudsen was charged before Judge Docker at the Local Quarter Sessions on Monday with a false statement of the birth of his child...When placed in the dock on Monday he appeared sad-eyed and dejected. He admitted his guilt, but pleaded in extenuation of the offence that his object was to shield the girl he had wronged. He would have married her, but got out of work and could not.”

The judge asked if he would marry the girl now if the girl was willing.

They both agreed, but Knudsen was broke and couldn’t afford to pay the £1 for a state marriage ceremony.

Judge Docker would not let money be an obstacle and ordered that a clergyman be found who would perform the marriage for free. Local Catholic priest, Father O’Keefe agreed to perform the service and the wedding was held at the house of Mr. Daley, the gaoler.

Knudsen went back into the dock in court, and the wedding certificate was given to Judge Docker. The judge ruled that Knudsen, who was imprisoned until the rising of the court, had sufficiently made amends by marrying Maria Casey and would be free to go.

So, between marriage and prison, Knudsen chose marriage.