Genealogy Chat

Hi All I think I have an illegitimate child born 1878. I have sent off for the birth certificate but would be interested to know if the father is ever put on the birth certificate - perhpas a middle name, perhaps informant? What is your experience? Thanks Sylvie

Sylvie For the fathers name to appear on the birth cert he would have to be present when the birth was registered. I do have a couple of instances though where a middle name has perhaps been a hint as to who the father was. Jeanette x

From Clara's certificate tutorials: The Registration Act of 1875 read 'The putative father of an illegitimate child cannot be required as father to give information respecting the birth. The name, surname and occupation of the putative father of an illegitimate child must not be entered except at the joint request of the father and mother; in which case both the father and mother must sign the entry as informants'. There are therefore 3 kinds of entry after this Act: (1) Where the parents were married to one another, fathers details must be entered in the register and only one parent will sign the register (or some other informant) ) Where the parents were not married to one another there will be blanks in Column 4 (fathers name) and Column 6 (his occupation). (3) Where the parents are not married to one another but both attended the register office together, fathers details are entered in Column 4 and Column 6 and both parents sign. Looked at a different way - if both parents have signed in Column 7 regardless of what names they are using then the parents were not married to one another at the time of the birth of the child. Sometimes a child's middle name (if they have one) can be a clue to parentage. But often there is not much idea. Fathers are sometimes put in baptism registers, but again this isn't always the case. nell

Thank you - I couldn't have asked for better replies Sylvie

Grace My own illegitimate person was my gt grandmother Ruth Barnes, born 1846 and her marriage cert says in the father's column 'illegitimate daughter of Susan Barnes', which makes things quite clear, though it omitted to say that Susan was dead which would have made things clearer! I don't know if I will ever find out who Ruth's father was, but I will look for any bastardy bonds in the records office when I get up there. Ruth was an amazing person. I first encountered her gravestone when I was 11 and took a photo of it with my first camera, little knowing that I would one day be researching her life! Her mother died when Ruth was just 5 and she was brought up by Susan's parents. She worked as a school mistress in Limpenhoe where she met my gt grandfather. They returned to her home village where her first child was born and then settled in Limpenhoe for the rest of her life. She had 8 sons and 2 daughters, many given Biblical names. Apparently she used to correct the vicar on sundays if he misquoted it! Her 3rd son was given the name Barnes as his middle name so she was obviously proud of it. She was according to family legend very matriarchal and ruled the household - her husband was a very mild man and easy to please. nell