Ridiculous History: “CLASSIC: English Men Used to Sell Their Wives”

iHeartPodcasts | January 12, 2026
Hosts: Ben Bolan, Noel Brown

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben and Noel travel back to 17th–19th century England to unravel the bizarre historical practice of “wife selling.” With wit and a skeptical eye, they explore why English men—unable to legally or affordably divorce—opted to publicly sell their wives as a loophole to escape unhappy marriages. The hosts dissect how this strange ritual functioned, the economic and social circumstances that drove it, how it was perceived by contemporaries, and whether the practice provided women with agency or further entrenched misogyny.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Divorce in Historical England

• Legal Hurdles for Ending Marriages

  • Divorce was unattainable for average people; you needed either the government or church’s explicit approval (03:00–07:00).

  • Private acts of Parliament were required for legal separation, costing up to £3,000—equivalent to about £15,000 today (07:13–08:17).

    “Obtaining a private act of Parliament would cost around £3,000… that’s about £15,000 in our modern age.”
    —Ben Bolan (07:13)

• Impact on Women

  • Women lacked property rights and had no legal say; they were, in effect, considered property of their husbands (06:18–07:13).
  • The system overwhelmingly favored the wealthy and men, making alternatives desperately sought after by commoners.

2. The Practice of Wife Selling

• How It Worked

  • A husband would publicly sell his wife, often at a local market or cattle auction. Symbolically, a rope was tied around the woman’s neck, waist, or wrist (08:28–09:56).

  • Although illegal, authorities and communities often turned a blind eye due to the impracticality of legal divorce for working-class citizens (10:09–10:57).

    “He would take his spouse to the local marketplace…Then he would register his wife as property to be sold. And symbolically, a rope would be placed somewhere around her body.”
    —Ben Bolan (08:28)

• Social and Legal Loophole

  • Wife selling acted as a makeshift, publicly recognized (but unofficial) divorce. In some instances, both parties participated amicably when they sought to part ways (10:23–10:57).

3. Symbolism, Societal Attitudes, and Surprising Agency

• Ritual and Aftermath

  • The event sometimes resembled a jovial affair, with “divorce parties” at local pubs post-transaction (16:10–16:29).

  • Despite the overt misogyny, in many cases, women had veto power over who “purchased” them and could consent to the transfer, allowing for an atypical (for the time) form of agency (16:29–21:17).

    “The woman actually had like a veto vote over who she went with, and she was likely just as ready to get out of this marriage as the husband was to be rid of her.”
    —Noel (16:29)

• Examples from History

  • Ben reads the colorful auction spiel of Moses Maggs, who sold his wife for six shillings and three gallons of ale (18:40–18:58). The language evokes treating women as livestock and illustrates the sometimes demeaning tone of these transactions.

    “Her’s a good creature and goes pretty well in harness…with a little flogging, her can carry a hundred and a half of coals…”
    —Ben Bolan, quoting an 18th-century auctioneer (17:55–18:40)

• Who Bought Wives?

  • Buyers ranged from single men to widowers and even the woman’s own family (22:25–22:54).

    “It could be folks acting on behalf of wealthy individuals... or it could actually be the families of the wives themselves.”
    —Noel (22:25)

4. Economic and Social Interpretation

• An Economic “Solution”

  • Economists cited in Review of Behavioral Economics argue wife selling could offer unhappy women a path to escape. Approximately 300 documented instances suggest most such sales were consensual (19:49–21:20).

    “...wife sales permitted unhappy women to trade a marriage that they didn’t particularly care for with a marriage that they valued more.”
    —Ben Bolan (22:54)

• Changing Concepts of Marriage

  • The notion of marriage as love-based is a modern one; historically, it was economic, transactional, and inter-family (20:44–22:00).

5. Decline and Modern Perspectives

• Fading of the Practice

  • As property rights for women improved and divorce became more accessible, wife selling faded by the early 20th century (25:27–26:12).

  • The hosts highlight a rare case as late as 1913 in which a woman was sold for £1 (25:27).

    “The decline of wife sales largely coincided with the rise of more equal property rights and the ease of getting a legitimate divorce.”
    —Ben Bolan (26:12)

• Reflection on Absurdity

  • Ben and Noel wrap up with astonishment at the auctioneers’ language and remind listeners that—thankfully—such practices are now illegal and unthinkable (26:12–27:57).

    “Please, please, please, whatever you do, don’t try to sell your spouse. Just don’t do it. It’s so weird.”
    —Ben Bolan (27:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It sounds very strange and disturbing.”
  —Ben Bolan, on the symbolism of the rope in wife sales (08:28)
• “This charade just seems grossly misogynistic. And of course it is. But… the woman actually had a veto vote…”
  —Noel (16:29)
• “‘Her’s a good creature and goes pretty well in harness…with a little flogging, her can carry a hundred and a half of coals…’”
  —Ben Bolan reading Moses Maggs’ 18th-century auction pitch (17:55–18:40)
• “The practice kind of went away. But apparently the Vintage News writes they found a case as recently as 1913…”
  —Noel (25:27)
• “It’s a bad look.”
  —Noel (27:32)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00–07:13 | Context: Divorce difficulties and cost in England | | 08:28–09:56 | Mechanics and symbolism of wife selling | | 10:09–10:57 | Social loophole; authorities’ responses | | 16:29–21:17 | Women’s role & agency in the process | | 17:55–18:40 | Read-aloud: Moses Maggs’ wife auction spiel | | 22:25–22:54 | Who bought wives? | | 25:27–26:12 | Decline of practice; the 1913 outlier | | 26:12–27:57 | Modern perspective & advice |

Tone and Style

Ben and Noel use a conversational, irreverent, and often tongue-in-cheek tone to highlight the absurdity (“It’s a bad look”), but also show respectful curiosity for the historical context and for those involved. They frequently pivot between humor and thoughtful reflection, making the episode both engaging and educational.

Summary

This episode provides a fascinating, at times darkly comedic, exploration of the lengths to which people in historical England went to circumvent unjust and impractical marriage laws. Through storytelling, quotes, and cutting commentary, Ben and Noel lay bare both the misogyny and the unexpected forms of agency found in the practice of wife selling. They close with relief that such things are firmly in the past and encourage listeners to reflect on the oddities of history—and how far we’ve come.