Genealogy Chat

I have just received the birth cert for my 2ndgreat grand uncle, Frederick Nurse, b Brightlingsea in 1841. Mother is 'Sarah Nurse, widow, formerly Beason' Father's name space is blank...... If her husband James had died during the time of her pregnancy, would his name be on the cert?? According to IGI he was baptised in May 1953 (aged 12??) Parents James Nurse and Sarah Anne Beason...... Peter

I would have thought so..........she would have been able to produce the death cert to confirm when he died, and it would have been assumed that her late husband fathered her child. Reg

Thanks Reg - have just added to the message - does the baptism change things? I cant find a death for James - previous children were born regularly up to 1837 but he was a fisherman so may have just vanished!! Peter

I have a birth certificate from 1874, the father died 4 months before she was born. His name is on the certificate with deceased under it. Two years later the mother had a son, no fathers name is on his certificate but same surname as all the other children as that was her the mothers name. Fiona.

Peter Is the baptism extracted or submitted? OC

Fishermen were often press-ganged into the navy as they had knowledge of the sea- perhaps he was 'taken' under these circumstances, came back when his son was 12 and they got him christened? If they were legally married I don't know why he could not be registered as the father though, even if he was not present at the time.

OC - baptism is extracted - others of this family are accurate(except I have just realised he is baptised as Lewis Frederick and appears elsewhere as Frederick Louis - possible clue to father who isn't around in 1841). Birth cert just says Frederick.... Ann Suspect the press gang had finished by this time - there wasn't a war on, and anyway fishermen were supposed to be exempt. Peter