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I'm trying to identify the parents of my ggg grandfather Richard Hough born Chorley c. 1799. There are a couple of possibles on both the IGI and the Lancs OPC site. It doesn't help that the possible parent's names aren't reflected in the naming of Richard's children!! I've found several maintenance orders on A2A relating to Houghs and in rhe right period. Can anyone tell me what kind of information the order would contain and if it might help me narrow down the possibilities. Many thanks Maria

Well I've not looked at one but I would imagine it would name the child in question, who the mother and father are - whether there were any issues as to getting the father to own up or pay up etc. How much the father was expected to pay - whether it be a monthly/weekly payment or a lump sum. That kind of thing.

Thanks for your reply Alexandra. I was also hoping for a bit of background detail like addresses, which parish they came from etc,. Best wishes Maria

From Genuki Bastardy Bonds/Agreements determined which adult male was to support a child. Where a child was without parents, the parish would try and find an apprenticeship for them to relieve the burden on the parish funds. These can date from 1601 to 1834. The following categories or types of Bastardy Papers can assist the family historian: Bastardy Examination - mother examined before a magistrate, or by midwife whilst in labour (early 18th century) to determine the name of the child's father. Bastardy Warrant - Constable ordered to find the man named by the mother and bring him before magistrate to organise recognizance - OR - to find the putative father who has absconded, escaped from custody, hasn't paid up, etc. Bastardy Recognizance - like a bail bond - the father is to appear at next Quarter Sessions and case continued until child born. Bastardy Summons - tells a Constable to bring a man to court. Bastardy Order - made out after the child was born - gives details of who is to pay what. Bastardy Certificate - overseers of parish to which the child is chargeable certify that the man has paid up - OR - certifies that an Order has been made out - in both cases the father is released from the recognizance. Bastardy Bond - entered into by a bondsmen and sureties to say that they will indemnify the parish to which the child is chargeable from all costs (mainly found before 1800). Notice of Application for Bastardy Order (used after 1834) sent to the putative father (Quarter Sessions only). If a bastard child died, the overseers of the parish in which it was legally settled would have paid for the burial, even in another parish. This should be noted in the Overseers' Accounts if they survive. Bastardy payments would have been made until the child was of age to be apprenticed - fourteen at the most. If you have a copy of a bastardy order it should say for how long the money was to be paid. Payment was usually made to the parish supporting the child, but after 1834 some payments were made directly to the mother. Chris

I have a Bastardy Warrant dated 1803 (which is the warrant for arrest because the father left the area). It has mothers name the village they lived in, childs name and details of what was known about the father and where they thought he could be found. He was in the army and passed through the village then got posted elsewhere. They never did catch up with him and as far as we know he was never knew he had a son either. When I was searching for this in the records office I read through many others (enclosed in same folder) ..bonds warrants etc and they were all VERY interesting. Sheila

hi Maria Hope you dont mind me asking a question using your thread its along the same lines. My ggreatgrandfather was illigitamate born in 1836, on his baptism record no father is named hes down as 'base born' of his mother, now the question i want to ask is did all illigitamate children have to have a bastardy or maintance order for them naming the father? He lived with his mother and her mother till she married, and then he was fetched up by his stepfather. no idea who his real father was. Thanks Sharmala.

Sharmala Because of the date of yours there is a strong chance that there will be something lurking around unless your family were well off and could support her. If the mother applied to the parish for financial help then the paperwork should be around somewhere (if it survived) UNLESS there was a private arrangement with the father. I was fortunate to find a reference to mine on the National Archives site stating that the record was held at the local records office to where the mother lived and it was close to where I was living at the time so I was able to go and see the original myself. Sheila

Hi Thanks for that Sheila. I have looked on A2A and nothing for her was found. She wasnt at all well of as far as i know, but she did have support from her mother till she married, and one thing is odd, the name of my ggreatgrandad was never used in the family before him, so wondering if it was the fathers first name. ill visit my library to see if they hold such records. Thanks again, Sharmala.

Thanks for all your responses on this and your interest, it's very much appreciated. I can see I shall have to get myself down to the Lancashire Records Office and see if I can find out anything further. Thanks again. Best wishes Maria