Married Women's Property Act
Prior to 1882, married women were not allowed to create a will. Until the Married Women’s Property Act was passed in 1882 everything a woman owned became the property of her husband on marriage. Although a married woman could write a will, it held no legal validity unless her husband chose to honor it. It wasn't until 1893, with the introduction of another Act, that married women obtained full control over their property. Unmarried women and widows were always able to make wills, and the wills of unmarried women often contain intriguing details, mentioning numerous and diverse relatives.