Help with tracing my father's ancestors

[Bernardivoredge]

Hi
  Edward Millington born 1854 first married Martha Weigh in 1855, married in Hawarden in 1875, they had 2 children James born 1875 and Thomas 1877, James died at birth and Martha died in 1879, Edward then went on to marry Mary Williams.

[Bernardivoredge]

I have another option regarding Mary Williams born 1861, True on the 1881 cencus it states Grand-Daughter, could  Mary be Daughter-in-law and that Mary's name was Groucott born in Nantwich in 1861 and married Samuel, on Family Search there is a regestered intended marriage on the 26th June 1881 of a Mary Groucott and Samuel Williams at Waverton Cheshire.

[garstonite]

I am not trying to offend any other members - but I NEVER presume a child was illegitimate because father is not named - many husbands abandoned mother and baby because of financial pressure - many went to USA /Australia/New Zealand to get a better job and get a home and a better life for their wife and children - but never sent for them ....consequently - the father was NEVER mentioned by the mother / grandmother /grandfather because he was a taboo subject  - my own grandfather went to USA for 8 years - and showed up on the doorstep of his wife and children 8 years later - and his wife took him back - my dad could only just remember him ...and also - THE MAN of the house could easily have been grandad , and HE may have forbid a fathers name being mentioned in the house - so ,although it is a very possible scenario that on a marriage certificate if a fathers name is left blank - that child was illegitimate - it wasn`t always the case ....

[silvery]

Unfortunately the presumption has got to be, that if there is no father's name on the birth certificate, then the child is illegitimate.     

[josey]

These may well be two very different situations - garstonite with reasons for father not being mentioned on marriage certificate & silvery with the familiar & accepted reason for father not being mentioned on birth certificate.

Josey