Attempting to confirm the identity of my grandfather, Herbert Harry Hailstone

[RogFromBrum]

Hello All,

My father, Herbert Harry Parker, was born out of wedlock in the Birmingham Workhouse Infirmary (Dudley Road) in 1911 to Emma Parker. For a few years now I've been trying to confirm the identity of his father (my grandfather). The only clue comes from my father's wedding certificate from 1949 where he names his father as Herbert Harry Hailstone. A groom fabricating a father's name on a marriage certificate was not too unusual for those born out of wedlock but it only serves to deceive if the surname given is the same as that of the groom. As he gave his father the surname Hailstone, rather than Parker, I believe that this was his true father - nevertheless, I would like some corroboration of this.

The name Herbert Harry Hailstone is unusual and there appear to have been only two around of about the right age when my father was born - one lived in the Isle of Wight and the other in Birmingham. I've extensively researched the Birmingham one but not found any confirmatory evidence that he was my grandfather. On the other hand, neither have I found any evidence that he could not have been my grandfather. Sadly, he died intestate in 1915, unmarried and aged 35.

With regard to my father, workhouse records that might have been of help no longer exist and no baptism has been found. I've had my Y-chromosome DNA sequenced but I've not found a match so far (although I've not been able to compare my results with the DNA from any men with the name Hailstone so this route could still bear fruit).

A friend of mine is wondering whether it is possible that Emma Parker may have applied to the magistrates' court for maintenance payments where obviously she would have needed to reveal the name of the father. Does anyone have knowledge of maintenance payments around this time, and whether records for the Birmingham courts are archived anywhere?

Alternatively, does anyone have any other ideas on how I could move forward?

Thanks, Roger

[suzard]

What occupation was given for Herbert Henry Hailstone(father) on the marriage cert ?

Suz

[hepburn]

Did Herbert Hailstone live near to Emma?? 

[RogFromBrum]

Thanks, both, for your replies.

Unfortunately, in my parent's marriage certificate, neither my paternal nor my maternal grandfathers' occupations were filled in.

In the 1911 census, Herbert Harry Hailstone was a visitor in Burton-on-Trent which isn't helpful. However, his family had a shop in South Road, Erdington, about 5 miles from the Workhouse Infirmary in Dudley Road. Four of his siblings were in South Road in 1911 so it's quite possible that this was also his home.

My grandmother also had another illegitimate son born in 1908 (Frederick Parker). He was born in the West Bromwich Union Workhouse (Hallam Street), about 8 miles from South Road. But I suspect he may have had a different father.

Another complication in searching for records is that the locations are split between Warwickshire and Staffordshire.

Roger

[SmallTownGirl]

His burial record is on Ancestry from 1915 and shows his address as 57 South Road, Erdington.

With regard to a possible maintenance order, why not email the Warwickshire Records Office and ask them where they might be?  It's recordoffice@warwickshire.gov.uk

STG

[RogFromBrum]

Thanks, the death certificate I have confirms he died at the family home. However, he'd been ill for a couple of years so one can't rule out that he had been living somewhere else around 1910 but returned to South Road as his health deteriorated.

I can certainly approach the Warwickshire Record Office, and the central library in Birmingham, but I'm interested to know if anyone has any experience of maintenance claims and court records. It's an area I know nothing about.

[SmallTownGirl]

You could check (or see if someone will do it for you) the 1911-1915 electoral roll for 57 South Road to see whether he just absented himself in 1911 - to miss the baby's birth.

[bristolloggerheads]

I presume this is him in 1891(RG12/2425 folio 57)
4 New St,1,Edward Hailstone,Head,M,34,,Wire Drawer,Employed,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Mary A Hailstone,Wife,M,,35,,,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Thomas H Hailstone,Son,S,15,,,Employed,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Edward Hailstone,Son,S,13,,,Employed,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Herbert Hailstone,Son,S,10,,,,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Sidney Hailstone,Son,S,8,,,,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,William Hailstone,Son,S,5,,,,Aston Warwickshire,,
,,,Elise Hailstone,Dau,S,,3,,,Aston Warwickshire,,

Have you tried the newspapers for an obituary?

[RogFromBrum]

Thanks both.I've not found any obituary for him. He wasn't included in the electoral register for 1912-3 but the provider I used (Midland Historical Data) didn't have earlier Birmingham registers online.

Another point is that I don't know exactly where Emma Parker was living or working before she gave birth. (She was a domestic servant.) Therefore discovering the whereabouts of Herbert Harry Hailstone around 1910 may not help much.

And yes, the census return you found is the right family.