Baptism record - Child born in absence of husband

[littlefacey]

Hello   

Just a quickie, 'child born in absence of husband', would this mean the child is illegitimate or that the child is the husbands but he's gone?

I've got a couple of baptism records, some illegitimate but 2 of them quote the above? I'm just trying to work out roughly when the husband left?


FYI

Frederick Godwin
Born 1842      Baptised 1842
Son of James and Ann

Mary Godwin
Born 1844      Baptised 1858
Base daughter of Anne, Single Woman

Francis William Godwin
Born 1849      Baptised 1857
Ann - Married woman, child born in the absence of the husband

George Godwin
Born 1854      Baptised 1858
Ann - Married woman, child born in the absence of the husband


Can I get your thoughts?

[Jebber]

I would suggest illegitimacy, the delay between births and baptisms is strange, unless illness caused an urgent baptism in the husband’s absence.To be sure I would want to know the husband's occupation, could there be a valid reason for his absence.

[Biggles50]

Illegitimate births look the most likely.

Have you found who and where her husband was?

[littlefacey]

Thank you,


Yes I know the father, he was called James Goodwin. He and Ann Webb were married in Ashton Keynes in Wiltshire 1840. I'll pop what I know below 

1841 Census (Ashton Keynes)
James Godwin aged 20 - Ag Lab
Ann Godwin aged 20
Richard Godwin aged 6 months

1851 Census (Ashton Keynes)
Ann Webb aged 26 - Glover (lodger)
William Webb aged 2

Ann married William Boulton in 1868. She was now listed as a widow

1871 Census (Ashton Keynes)
Ann Boulton aged 42 - Widow
William Boulton aged 22 - Masons Lab
George Boulton aged 16 - Ag Lab
Richard Boulton aged 13 - Scholar
Robert Boulton aged 12 - Scholar

1881 Census (Ashton Keynes)
Ann Boulton aged 43 - Widow - Glover
Williaam Boulton aged 30 - Gen Lab
Robert Boulton aged 19 - Gen Lab

1891 Census (Ashton Keynes)
Ann Boulton aged 71 - Gen Lab
Robert Godwin aged 28 - Gen Lab


All the children were born Godwin however depending on her surname theirs changes.
William & Alfred Richard both mark their father as William Boulton on their marriage cert whereas Frederick lists James Godwin.

I'm not sure where James went after the 1841 census, still looking for him!

There is a newspaper record in 1861 about an Ann Webb, who was living with her aunt, had a baby boy who died after a week so this could possibly be her? Not sure.

Based on this info i'm now starting to think that Richard and Frederick may have been her legit children with James and all the others were illegitimate!

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
Her husband seems to be a James Godwin ag lab born 1818 whom she is with in 1841.
By 1851 she has returned to her maiden name of Webb and in 1861 she is with a new partner William Boulton born 1824 also an ag lab.(actually bapt 19.3.1820 s of Henry and Rebecca) Anne Webb age 30
Given that they are both saying they are not married I'd assume James Godwin was still alive somewhere else.

I agree with you .James and Ann split up c 1842.

Ciderdrinker

[littlefacey]

Forgot to mention, I do have a birth cert of Alfred Richard which shows the father's section as blank however the image is so small i cannot read it for any other clues (if any!) so if anyone is a whizz at enlarging images without loosing quality let me know! 

[littlefacey]

Hello
Her husband seems to be a James Godwin ag lab born 1818 whom she is with in 1841.
By 1851 she has returned to her maiden name of Webb and in 1861 she is with a new partner William Boulton born 1824 also an ag lab.(actually bapt 19.3.1820 s of Henry and Rebecca) Anne Webb age 30
Given that they are both saying they are not married I'd assume James Godwin was still alive somewhere else.

I agree with you .James and Ann split up c 1842.

Ciderdrinker

Thank you

[Ashtone]

'child born in absence of husband', would this mean the child is illegitimate or that the child is the husbands but he's gone?

There are a few other baptisms with similar wording....

1844 Devon - "A Notorious Adulteress This Being the Second Child Born By Her During the Absence Of Her Husband At Sea"   

1805 Berkshire - "This is a spurious child born during her Husband's Absence"

1834 Wiltshire - "Born in sailor husband's absence; not his child" 

[littlefacey]

'child born in absence of husband', would this mean the child is illegitimate or that the child is the husbands but he's gone?

There are a few other baptisms with similar wording....

1844 Devon - "A Notorious Adulteress This Being the Second Child Born By Her During the Absence Of Her Husband At Sea"   

1805 Berkshire - "This is a spurious child born during her Husband's Absence"

1834 Wiltshire - "Born in sailor husband's absence; not his child" 

Thank you!