Illegitimate Roman Catholic Birth

[jds1949]

According to T.V.H. Fitzhugh's "Dictionary of Genealogy" If a child was born out of wedlock the the father's name was generally omitted; but after 1875 if the father accompanied the mother to the registrar's office and claimed paternity he could have his name entered on the certificate. So, unless he went with your Gt. Grandmother to register the birth his name would not appear.

A further thought occurs to me - if at all possible it might well be worth trying to get a look at the baptism register as the father's name may well have been entered by the priest. I know that getting sight of Catholic Baptism registers is sometimes difficult as they tend not to be lodged in the local record office but remain in the care of the original church; but - technically speaking - I am assured that they are public documents and an appeal to the relevant priest might well give you the information/confirmation that you seek.

jds1949

[stanmapstone]

Between 1837 and 1874 if the mother informed a registrar of an illegitimate child's birth and also stated a father's name, the registrar could record him as the father, although he may not have actually been the father

This applied until The Registration Act of 1874 which stated:
"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"
The Act came into force on 1st January 1875
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1874/pdf/ukpga_18740088_en.pdf

Stan