Genealogy Chat

Jackie If the burial was at your local cemetery try asking the person in charge there. I made enquiries at our local cemetery about a baby who was only 1 day old (1942). The person I contacted searched through his records and showed me the grave. It was actually a public grave which was often the case with babies. As many as 10 would have been put in some graves. There were certain areas for them. There are some stillborn babies buried there. He also managed to show me the grave of my great grandparents without a headstone but who had had a private burial. As you have a year and a name of someone else in the same grave they should be able to tell you if there was anyone else in it. Perhaps though if the cemetery is very extensive they might not be so willing to look. Wishing you luck. Joan

Jackie, Please don't apologise. It's fine. It cheered me up. Although I must add that your topic really tugs at the heart strings. All the best with your searching Helen x

It's making me laugh as this thread is discussing two separate topics - LOL!!! Thanks for the replies. To be honest I just put foward a possible senario (sp?) My mother-in-law knows that she had an Aunty Alice who died in her teens or early twenties. She doesn't know why and also wonders as she never seemed to be spoken about. There seemed to be a bit of hush hush. Anyway, I found a birth for Alice Nelmes in 1905 in the right area, and this would make her 10yrs older than her sister (my mum-in-laws mother) which fits. However, Alice's parents didn't marry until 1906. This puzzled me as to why she'd have her father's surname and not mothers. I wondered whether she was in fact just the father's child (which is where my idea of the mother dying in child birth came from!) and this was why she was never spoke about much. However, now that Marjorie has replied, maybe I'm just looking further into this than I need to! I didn't know that a child could be registered in the fathers name if he's present. (I know that happens now but didn't know it did in 1905) So thanks for that. I still wonder why Alice was never spoken about though? What a shame. Oh and thanks for listening!

Helen In answer to your question, I don't know the legalities of it, but I would have thought that if the mother died in childbirth and the father registered the child's birth, then the child would be registered in his name. As far as I understand it, a father's name can only go on a birth certificate (when the couple are unmarried) if he is present at the Registration.In other words, he accepts parentage of the child. On the other hand, as he was the only person by then who knew they werent actually married, he might not have bothered to tell the Registrar that bit! So again, child registered in his name. Hope this helps. Marjorie

Did anyone else respond to your original question Helen - I hope so. Jan

Jackie, just spotted your post about the burial - it may be worth your while to ask at the cemetery for them to look at the register for you. I have a family in my tree buried with a gravestone (amazing - I dont find many of those) but in the cemetery register they record that two infants are buried in the grave, neither are mentioned on the stone. This lead me back to the GRO and the certificate for two male children I had discounted. The cemetery register stated they were aged 3 hours and 10 hours, so it was quite useful.

That's great Helen, probably registered in his name then. I hope so. That would be really nice. Jan

There is a thread on here "Stillbirths some answers" which could give a few tips regarding the stillbirth question. As to the other one, I would think that legally the child should be registered with the mothers name, but who knows? Do you have a name and date?

I believe that the child was bought up by the father.

Hello Helen, That's a difficult one. I would think that's anyone's guess. Might have depended on the relationship between the parents, whether the father took responsibility, or the mother's family, the child may have been put up for adoption and named after the adoptive parents. Hope someone has an answer for you. Good luck. Jan

Jackie, I don't know the answer to your question either :) Someone on here will definitely know though. Regards, Helen

If a child was born in 1905 to an unmarried couple and the mother died at birth, would the child be registered in the father's surname? Thanks Helen