Genealogy Chat

I have just received an ancestors birth certificate and on it her fathers name has been left blank. Is there any way of finding his name out.
My ancestor was born 1921 Nottingham, England
Alan

It means she was illegitimate, so unless you know the mother married soon after the birth, then it is doubtful whether you will find the father's name.

Even if the mother did marry soon afterwards there is no way of knowing whether the man she married was the father of the child unless they re-registered the birth in his name.

Kath. x

It could mean she was illegitimate, but it could also mean she was born after her father died. I have an ancestor that this happened to and the space for father was left blank, but the name is on his elder brothers certificate. His mother confirmed they had the same father( her husband). Try looking for elder siblings and marriage and death reports. You may be able to match them up, I did.
Sue

Just to clarify things my ancestor who was born 1921 was Ethel May Spurr (father unknown)

Ethel's mother was Ethel Spurr nee Fewkes her husband was Percy Robert Spurr and he was killed 1917 WW1 they had 3 children.

I have no record of Percy's wife Ethel remarrying but she had Ethel May Spurr in 1921.

Hi Alan,

No advice to give, but it seems that Ethel May was indeed illegitimate.

Margaret

Have you got a marriage certificate for Ethel May? Just wondered what she might have put for father on that?

I have Ethel May marriage cert and that is blank as well

I am fairly sure that a child born of a widow is not considered illigitimate?

If the widow had the child in 1921 and her husband had died in 1917 then it is probable that the child was illegitimate.

The law says that if a child is born to a married woman then that child is deemed to be the child of the woman's husband. But a widow of 4 years? The child would probably be considered illegitimate.

Jill

Hallo Alan, have you considered looking at the parish records for the baptism of your ancestor, look at the original not the transcript if possible, it may have an anotation by the vicar about the father of the child. If you cannot go yourself to the record office, perhaps someone on here could look for you if they are visiting the relevant office, try putting a request up and see if anyone will go for you. Good luck

If the child was illegitimate did the mother take the father to court for maintinance by any chance.

Regards
Fiona

I think Bastardy Orders had been replaced by Affiliation Orders and later Paternity Orders by the 1920s.

This site has the details of the debate in the House of Commons in 1920 on the Bastardy Bill:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1920/may/07/bastardy-bill

Ethel's birth which you know

Births Jun 1921
Spurr Ethel M Fewkes Nottingham 7b 939

Did Ethel's mum remarry?

Marriages Mar 1926
Spurr Ethel M Underwood Nottingham 7b 497
Underwood Herbert Spurr Nottingham 7b 497

or

Marriages Jun 1931
Spurr Ethel H Hutchins Nottingham 7b 841