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Would this be lawful

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SimonSez

SimonSez Report 29 Nov 2008 21:59

Thanks for clearing this Gwyn and Shirley & Erin. I did not think it sounded legal to me.

Gwyn- my grandad knew that his sister was not his sister and that she was actually his cousin. But it was kept in the family and no one knew the wiser !

Obviously the true father was unable to keep the girl as well as another 2 year old girl that was adopted by another family member.

Eringobragh1916

Eringobragh1916 Report 29 Nov 2008 21:54

Simon...No it was not lawful... however this was not an uncommon practice for a number of reasons and usually only immediate family were aware of the situation...and they werent talking !! Depending on the circumstances of the "father" he would often be party to and agreeable to this happening.

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it

Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it Report 29 Nov 2008 21:52

Well if the child was illegitimate then rather than lose the child because her mum died I expect they thought would be the safest bet.
Not legal but then it was often done especially in the case of illegitimacy to save face for the mother. Have seen it done where the grandparents did this and the child was then accepted by outsiders as a child of the family therby saving face for the daughter.

Researching:
Surname Fahse. Germany. Essex .South East London My avatar is one of our wedding photos of 1957

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 29 Nov 2008 21:51

It was and is illegal to give false information on a birth certificate.
I don't expect they were the only ones to do that though, .... and probably all with the best intentions.

How do you know that they were NOT the true parents though, after all this time?

Gwyn

SimonSez

SimonSez Report 29 Nov 2008 21:42

My great grandad had a sister that died 3 days after giving birth to a babygirl in 1903. The baby girls birth was registered by my great grandad & Grandma as their own daughter and was brought up by them .

Would this be lawful for my great grand parents to do this if the girls true father was still alive ?. I have the birth certificate and it claims the baby's parents were my G grandparents, but they were NOT, they were her uncle and aunt