Transcribing some interesting records, just wanted to share it

[coombs]

Chance child is one of my faves, another term for an illegitimate child.

I did find one entry for my ancestor in 1765 in Suffolk, saying he "was found dead in Pettistree". Luckily someone was able to identify his body.

[clairec666]

Talking of illegitimate children, I transcribed a weird one today. And for once, R. F. Walker Curate of Purleigh has let me down, he didn't write anything enlightening in the margin!

Who is William's father? Was Sarah playing away?

[coombs]

I think not as many people lied to a vicar as they did to a registrar or census enumerator. Or it could be that people knew Sarah was playing away and she spilled the beans at the baptism by saying the baby was born as a result of an extra marital affair.

Sadly for any descendants of William Hitch, the father may never be known as the curate never listed who he could have been.

I once noticed a baptism of a baby where in the entry it said "mother now married, but not to father".

[Sloe Gin]

There might have been an obvious reason why Thomas could not have been the father. 
For example, I found a baptism where the mother was described as "wife of Benjamin, who has been away at sea the last seven years".

[clairec666]

There might have been an obvious reason why Thomas could not have been the father. 
For example, I found a baptism where the mother was described as "wife of Benjamin, who has been away at sea the last seven years".

You could be right, they live quite close to the coast, although for most of the records I've transcribed the fathers have been mariners.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for more Hitch records as I'm transcribing. There are three children of Thomas and Sarah Hitch baptised between 1813 and 1817, their father is a labourer.

[Sloe Gin]

It's just one way that the husband could be absent.  Prison is another one.

[Lapis]

So many women died in childbirth at young ages leaving large numbers of children. Their widowers marrying younger women and starting new families. I discovered in my family a woman widowed with 6 children, remarried widower with 8 children, had three more children. She died when her youngest was 14 months old leaving the 17 children motherless. The baby was brought up by his aunt, the remaining children were taken into care and sent away to Canada and Australia. Harsh times. Families searching back must be very grateful if they discover any extra information.

[coombs]

Transcribing, and of course general searching for relatives can certainly open up Pandorra's Box. If you are looking for rellies, interesting entries of people that are of no known family connection are still intriguing. "Died after being crushed by a bull", not something you usually see in a burial register.

[Lapis]

I wonder what's the most unusual entry you've identified.

Just visited my grandparents grave to find maintenance agency have hoovered up the flowers I arranged and dumped their grass cuttings in front of their tiny headstone.

Noticed as I left how many females were widowed for more than 40 years. A lifetime.