“Our families didn’t come because they didn’t agree with it," said Brenda.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 5, 2022. It has since been updated.
More than a decade ago, Clive Blunden got married to his ex-wife's mother, which makes his current wife his former mother-in-law. “People thought we wouldn’t last but we are stronger than ever,” Blunden told The Mirror.
Along with being his wife, Blunden's wife, Brenda is also a grandmother to his two children. The two wed in 2007. In fact, he was arrested when he asked to marry his now-wife back then, but he didn't let anything deter him from being with his love. “We’re together 24/7 and there’s a magic to it,” Blunden said.
“Clive is a gentleman and he looks after me. I can get a bit argumentative but he quietens me down,” added Brenda. While the two can't seem to live without each other now, that wasn't always the case with them. Brenda couldn't stand the sight of Blunden when he got married to her daughter, Irene, first.
Blunden and Irene married in 1977 and had daughters Sarah and Tanya before divorcing in 1985. Four years later, Blunden and Brenda's romance bloomed, but they had to keep dating in secret. “We fell in love,” said Brenda. “One night, he took me for a drink and we ended up kissing.”
In 1997, the two decided to make things official and get hitched, but when Blunden put their banns up at the register office in their hometown of Warrington, Cheshire, he was arrested. Later, he was informed that there was a “lawful impediment” that would happen if he married his mother-in-law.
They had no idea of this law and were under the impression that everything would be okay since Brenda was a widow and Blunden a divorcee. Apparently, he could even be jailed for up to seven years if they went ahead with it. Eventually, they filed to change Brenda's surname to Blunden's by deed poll.
Honestly, it was a hassle, and completely unfair, which prompted the groom-to-be to fight for the 500-year-old law to be changed. “I thought we should be married because we had been through everything together,” he explained. “We were being stopped unfairly. I didn’t think it was right, so I wanted to change it.”
It took some time, but eventually, things changed. A European court ruled a ban on in-laws marrying was a violation of human rights. “I remember when we heard the news on the TV, in September 2005,” said Blunden.
“I went down on one knee straight away and proposed to Brenda. I had tears in my eyes.”
On March 17, 2007, they finally became husband and wife at the Warrington register office – the same place where Blunden had married Irene. Sadly not many people from their families wanted to be a part of the festivities, but they were okay with it; as long as they had each other.
“It was a very emotional day. It had been a struggle to get to that point but it was a wonderful day and we will always remember it," he said, while Brenda added: “Our families didn’t come because they didn’t agree with it. But all we cared about was being with each other.”
Clive Blunden married Brenda from Warrington despite their families objecting https://t.co/hFtzl1wUN7
— Liverpool Echo (@LivEchonews) September 18, 2020
But despite all the flaws, the two of them are still in love with each other. "We’ve been through a lot so to come out of it the other end is an achievement," shared Blunden. "What made it perfect for me is we can be on our own all day and still get along. We would do it all again.”
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-marries-mother-law-after-22695330
Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Linda Raymond
