Who’s the real mother of these children ?

[PERKO14]

I’ve found a 1871 census listing for the Cotton family living in Sheepshed, Leics. with the following people listed

Ann 59
Mary 26
George 22
Hannah 19
Lois 10
Arthur 7
pleasant 4
William  0

Ann’s husband died in 1862 so I’m wanting to know who the last four Children’s mother really was.  I know Plesant is Mary’s illegitimate child as I have a copy of the birth certificate.  I’m wondering if the others Lois, Arthur and William are too but struggling to find birth records.  Could anyone help please?

[jimnix]

Baptism: Shepsted, Leicestershire
23 January 1873, William child of Mary Cotton

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP4M-HDS8

Added

Baptism: Shepsted, Leicestershire
5 December 1867, Pleasant child of Mary Cotton

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW1-GNHC

Baptism: Shepsted, Leicestershire
18 December 1864, Arthur child of Mary Cotton

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW1-RQ64

[PERKO14]

Thank you for finding those for me.  Pretty unusual back then to have so many illegitimate children don’t you think ?

[tazzie]

Hi..

 A family tree on Ancestry has a photo of a birth cert for Lois in 1861 . No father and mother is Ann daughter of William and Ann who is aged 21 on 1861 census.

  Tazzie

[scotmum]

Here's the reference for Lois:

COTTON, LOIS       - 
GRO Reference: 1861  J Quarter in LOUGHBOROUGH  Volume 07A  Page 120

[jimnix]

Lois Cotton's birth was registered in the second quarter of 1861, Loughborough Registration District. No mother's maiden name on index so I'd also assume this was Mary's child (although might be worth getting certificate to make sure)

Thank you for finding those for me.  Pretty unusual back then to have so many illegitimate children don’t you think ?

I have an ancestor who had four children outside of marriage so not sure how unusual it was. It was probably very frowned upon.

[tazzie]

Who ever out the tree together made the mistake of listing the parents of Lois as William and Ann....the grand parents.

 Haven't looked for any other mistakes but that's a bit one.

 Ann the daughter and mother of Lois appears to have 2 more children by 1871 Emma and Jemima.

 Tazzie

[PERKO14]

Thanks I imported them onto my tree from a match on a site.  It’s only when I was looking at the dates I began to wonder how children were born after the father died !  I don’t think it helps when you use census data alone  as it seem people lied about who was the mothers and fathers of illegitimate children.  Really appreciate everyone’s help in sorting it out it’s been puzzling me.

[LizzieL]

Many widows had children some time after the husband's death - obviously fathered by someone else. Sometimes they would be registered as if the husband was still alive, naming deceased husband as father! Sometimes a baptism record would clarify the situation. John base born son of Mary Smith widow - for example. I have even seen one once where vicar helpfully recorded when husband died and in one case when transported. I have a woman on my tree who had 5 illegitimate children. Her sister had three