bastardy bonds

[coombs]

Hi

I have found a few references in newspaper reports where a woman has had an illegitimate child. Sometimes the weekly quarter sessions are mentioned which can include bastardy orders. The Norwich Mercury survives for this period I think.

Ben

[peggypatch]

Interesting. Of the reports that you have seen, were they actually reporting the birth of an illegitimate child or was an illegitimate child mentioned as part of a report about some other incident? If the former, would it be fair to say that these reports were about persons of note, rather than ordinary village people?

As you say the Quarter Sessions are reported (not weekly though, 4 times a year, hence the name 'quarter') but I have never noticed orders made being listed in the reports - will keep my eyes open for this now though. Don't think the Norwich Mercury would help on this occasion though as the children were born in Stibbard and Yarmouth, Norfolk Chronicle would be a better bet.

[coombs]

Hi

I saw a report for 1863 which noted about a woman in Sussex concealing the birth of her illegitimate child from the birth registrar or something like that. This was from the microfilm of a Sussex newspaper in Brighton. Although many people concealed the pregnancy itself by going away to an aunt or other relative and having the birth there.

Ben

[peggypatch]

I see. Of course different newspapers will have had different ideas on what they did or didn't report on. My experience of wading through Norfolk papers is that this route is unlikely to help the poster. I will check the reports of the quarter sessions though to see if orders were mentioned and will report back. 

[crunchie01]

hi,

i was searching NROCAT today, and some inquest reports name the reputed father of women who had died during childbirth or babys who had died shortly after birth.

i had no luck finding any names i wanted but thought i would mention it for future reference.

[peggypatch]

That is useful, thanks.

It makes sense when you think about it, as women who refused to fess up to the father's identity during pregnancy were commonly pressed for the info by the midwife during labour. They were told it was in case they died in childbirth, but of course the information was swiftly passed onto the parish officials.

[coombs]

Hi

Often a midwife refused to assist if the mother didnt say who the father was. But if he admitted it and the mother agreed then there was no problem.

Quite often parents moved away after the birth of an illegitimate child. If for some reason they couldnt marry at the time of the birth but could do soon after, then some fled their previous home residence to escape the past. Also, to protect their baby if they didnt want the little one to know that it was illegitimate.

Ben

[crunchie01]

hi again,

something tells me my john marshall could have been already married, as we all know they were pushed into a marriage if possible after the birth of an illegimate child.

lydia had at least 2 to john marshall, wey no marriage?

also found out her first child baptised john marshall waller, after getting married dropped the waller and went by the name john marshall himself. he left stibbard and was a farmer in little ryburgh, is this near stibbard. also noted there are a lot of marshalls in great ryburgh, is this also close to stibbard?

thanks again in advance for all your help

[coombs]

Hi

My great, great grandmother was born out of wedlock. Her mother married the father soon after the birth.

The father was still married when the mother became pregnant, although she died into the mothers pregnancy, although late into the mothers pregnancy.

His previous wife was ill for a long time before she died according to the death cert.

The mother Mary Ann was 7 months pregnant when the fathers wife died. Once they were free to marry, the father acknowledged paternity. From this evidence it does seem as if he was the father and that he was seeing Mary while his wife was ill, probably for comfort.

Quite often the father was married when an illegitimate baby was born but he often wed the mother when he could. A lot of parishes pressured men to admit paternity.

Ben