William Schocroft †

LAW COURTS. SUPREME COURT-CIVIL SITTINGS. FRIDAY, August 13. The South Australian Advertiser Saturday 14 August 1880 p8 Article. Mr. Pater for the petitioner; the respondent and co-respondent were not represented. This was a petition by William Schocroft, of Peyneham, gardener, for the dissolution of his marriage with his wife Charlotte Schocroft, on account of her adultery with the co-respondent, Samuel Scudds, of Narridy, laborer. The parties were married at Crystal Brook by the Rev. Mr. Dale, on February 4, 1869, and lived together at various places up to May, 1879. The respondent's maiden name was Charlotte Bailey. While resident at Stirling East the respondent left her home without her husband's consent, but subsequently returned to cohabitation. Three weeks later she again left her home and did not return. On December 15, 1879, the petitioner received a letter from the respondent, who was then leaving at Redhill, stating that she had committed adultery and intended living with another man. She also advised him to get a divorce, which would leave them both free. Subsequently the respondent admitted that she had committed adultery, and was living with the co-respondent, who had previously been in the service of the petitioner, and had caused a great deal of domestic misery on account of the evidently familiar relations existing between him and the petitioner's wife. The respondent and co-respondent in the earlier part of this year lived together in the Metropolitan Hotel, Grate Street, as a married couple." There had been no issue to the marriage. His Honor said he would report the allegations proved to the Full Court, and find �100 damages against the co-respondent. Before His Honor and a special jury ....