Finding one of my Great Grandfathers

[Creeping_Snail]

Thanks for the suggestions, but none of the Hayes had the Mother's name as Annie and, if I remember correctly from the census data they were all married families with several children which, unfortunately, does not fit. 

[jonwarrn]

Hi
That one was probably illegitimate, but I don't know who he was.

In the 1891 census in Ardwick there is a Joseph Hay, 1, Nurse Child
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7CJP-TZM

[Creeping_Snail]

Hello and thank you.

I checked that out and on the next census he was with his family, so I had to rule that out.  It's also most likely that if Joseph was registered, which the family said he wasn't, it is unlikely that the father's name would be given on the certificate anyway.  That's why I gave up about 20 years ago, it's only with the advent of DNA testing that the thought popped into my head again as a possible way of filling the gap. :-)

[jonwarrn]

There's a Joseph Hay, 1, with parents John and Mary, and his siblings, in Manchester in 1891, and he is with them in 1901, age 11.
I can't say who the nurse child in 1891 is.

Can we be sure that because your grandfather thought there wasn't a birth certificate to be found, that this is actually correct?
Anyway, if you change your mind, and fancy having another stab at finding a birth certificate for him, you can now get them digitally (and instantly) from the GRO for just £3.
John

[jonwarrn]

His baptism is indexed on FamilySearch, but no image available. Is it online anywhere else?
11 December 1889 at St Peter, Oldham Road, Manchester
Joseph Henry
mother Annie Hey
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F9MH-PXX

[mckha489]

His baptism is indexed on FamilySearch, but no image available. Is it online anywhere else?
11 December 1889 at St Peter, Oldham Road, Manchester
Joseph Henry
mother Annie Hey
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F9MH-PXX

Correct date of birth

[jonwarrn]

Excellent, mckha, well done.
And the name William as father crossed through. Is that hinting at anything?

[Creeping_Snail]

WOW !! I'm speechless!  (Doesn't happen often )
You've found something in a few days that I didn't discover in 20 years !!  I'm impressed 

The crossed out name William is fascinating.  Give me some time to take this on board and I'll come back to you.  Fantastic!
Regards
Andrea

[DianaCanada]

I would also like to support the idea of a DNA test.  My maternal great-grandfather was illegitimate and although I knew who his mother was, I found no documentation about his father.  DNA shows that his father was very likely one of two brothers (there was a third brother, too young to have fathered my William). I might never know which one it was, and yes, one was William as well, but I do know their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
My folk lived in a not heavily populated rural area of Sussex, it might be trickier to work it out in a city like Manchester (if it’s a Hibbert let me know, that’s where my paternal lot came from!).