Who was he/she

[tauntonbuff]

I have discovered via National Archives documents that my grandmother gave birth to a child on 3rd May 1897.  I have absolutely no idea what the sex of the baby was or what name it was registered in, if indeed it was registered.  My grandmother was Jessie Sabina Potter (nee Pothecary) and she had a number of adulterous relationships according to the divorce papers.  The father is alleged to be a Frederick Sellars who is supposed to have lived at Shirley, Southampton.  It appears that he worked near Poole/Bournemouth, Dorset as the adultery is alleged to have occurred at Poole.  Can anyone make any suggestions please as to how I could trace the child.  It is annoying knowing the exact date of birth but not the name.

Kind regards

Alan Potter

[judi2632]

Hi Alan

Is the child not with her in the 1901 Census?

Regards Judi

[lizdb]

You beat me to it, Judi!

Also - do you know where Jessie was living at time of child's birth? was she in Dorset/Hampshire as was alleged father - tho I see yuo have posted this on Wiltshire board. If yuo know where she was you can see how many Potter babies were registered in the right quarter in the right area

[lizdb]

I see Jessie Sabina Pothecary married Sidney John Potter in Oct/Nov/Dec qtr of 1894 in Westbury Wiltshire, ref 5a 279

[tauntonbuff]

The child was definitely not with her on the 1901 census.  Her two children that I know of were "boarded" with relatives in Tisbury, Wiltshire; one of these was my father.  She was living in Blandford, Dorset on the 22nd October, 1894 when she registered her child and in Dilton marsh, westbury, Wiltshire on the 24th October, 1894 when she married Sidney Potter.  The only other dates I have for her are census dates 1881, 1891 & 1901.  She was in service for most of her life it appears.  I have no information as to where Jessie was when living at the time of the birth.  It could have been in any of at least counties.  I know she was my grandmother but she certainly appears to have less than truthful about many things including who my grandfather was.  He is shown on my father's birth certificate as an apparently fictitious man!

Regards

Alan

[tauntonbuff]

I see Jessie Sabina Pothecary married Sidney John Potter in Oct/Nov/Dec qtr of 1894 in Westbury Wiltshire, ref 5a 279

She was divorced from him in December, 1901 and the divorce petition by Sidney Potter alleges that he was not the father of the child but that Frederick Sellers was.

Regards

Alan

[tauntonbuff]

I have very recently discovered that she remarried in Croydon in 1927 but apart from that there is a large gap in my knowledge.  It appears that my 3 decade search for the truth about my grandfather will continue.  Not only were her morals questionable it seems but she was most unhelpful to her grandson!!!!!

Alan

[lizdb]

FreeBMD has 4 children registered in the Ap/may/Jun qtr of 1897 in Wiltshire

[toni*]

of course the child may have been registred as female / male,
hve you looked in the parish notes - prr relief records or bastardry records ?