Grandchild Not Sure of Parent

[RobinOz]

In the 1921 census i have listed two parents Mrs Smart (in her 60's) with two children a boy and a girl (aged in their 20's) both are shown as single, last name Smart. There is also a grand daughter listed (aged 6). GRO lists the child as Ida Hall Smart, mother's maiden name is blank.
I assume the child was probably illegitimate from one of the two children but not sure who.
How do i enter the child in ancestry.com? The only relationship i know for sure is to the grand parents.
Thank you
Rob

[maddys52]

It would be quite unusual I would think for a child born to unmarried mother to be with her father, so I would suggest she is the child of the girl in her 20s. (Does the grandmother have any other children who are not with them in 1921 that could also be the parent of the 6 year old?) Do you know if the grandchild married - who does she name as father?

[RobinOz]

maddys52,
Thank you for your reply.
There a no other siblings of the two shown in the census. As best i can tell the child (Ida Smart) ened up marrying an Eric Martin in 1935 in Staffordshire. I can't find a proper marriage certificate to verify her father.

[bbart]

There are two older daughters on the 1901 census, if I am looking at the right folks!

Ida's birth reg will give the name of who is claiming to be the mother.... it is just blank on the GRO index to indicate an unmarried Smart is mom. Her first name should still be on it.

If you don't want to get her birth registration, as a work-around, make a new daughter for Mr. and Mrs. Smart, name her "one of the daughters" or something similar,  and attach Ida to her.   If you ever figure out which daughter is mom, you can move Ida to her, and delete the fake daughter.  At least this way, you get Ida attached.

[bbart]

. As best i can tell the child (Ida Smart) ened up marrying an Eric Martin in 1935 in Staffordshire. I can't find a proper marriage certificate to verify her father.

You would have to order it from the GRO, but there is a very good chance that it will have no father's name on it.
The district/volume/page number you would need to order it can be found by looking up Ida on https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Often, single moms would put a hint in the child's name, so if the name Hall isn't in the family, that might be where that comes from.

[RobinOz]

Thanks to all, I will at this stage make the assumption the child’s mother is the daughter listed and not the son.

[amondg]

Parents  (1911 had 8 children 4 alive 4 deceased)
John Smart married Catherine Birks 12 October 1885

Children
Elizabeth 1885 reg Wolstanton  death 1888 age 2 Newcastle under Lyme

Maud Beatrice 1888 reg Newcastle under Lyme married Samuel Wilshaw 1909 (so not Ida's mother)

Martha Ellen 1889 reg Wolstanton married Wilmot Eardley 1920 (living away as a servant 1911 married age 31 possibly Ida's mother)

John William 1891 reg Wolstanton baptized 25 December 1891 buried 28 December 1891 aged 3 days

Elizabeth 1893 reg Wolstanton death reg 1894 age 0

John 1895 reg Wolstanton (age 6 1901 census)

Lilian 1898 reg Wolstanton  (age 4 1901 census)

William 1901 reg Wolstanton death reg 1901 age 0 (shown as 1 month old 1901 census)

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

to be sure if you cannot find a baptism you will have to get the birth certificate.

John

[RobinOz]

amondg,
Yes, looking at the ages it is likely Martha Ellen would be Ida's mother.
Thanks
Cheers.