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Illegitimacy

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by TwoBitTwoBit (U1573417) on Monday, 19th September 2005

  Both my paternal grandparents were illegitimate and their father's name is not included on their birth or marriage certificate.
  
  I wondered - is the father not being included on the certificate normal? Wouldn't the registrar not insist on having a name?
  
  My second question is regarding finding out the identity of the father now. I have only one relative who would possibly know my paternal grandmother's father - she gave me a name but could tell me nothing else (she is very, very elderly) and it is such a common name that tracking the person down from it is impossible.
  
  Would there be any records? Was there a version of the CSA in the 1910-1920 period that would chase absent father's up for money? Would any records be kept anywhere regarding the father's identity other than the Birth certificate?
  
  Thanks in advance.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by dmatt74 (U1690430) on Monday, 19th September 2005

  Not putting the reputed father's name done was usual. Unless they married later or are mentioned in a will it will be dificult to trace unless they are mentioned in Poor Law records. If the birth was in Scotland then the Kirk would be asking questions.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Linda1111 (U1103093) on Monday, 19th September 2005

  By law, if you are not married and the child is illegitimate, then you cannot include the name of a child's father on a birth certificate, unless he is present at the birth registration or signs a legal declaration in front of a solicitor or similar, in a form acceptable to the registrar acknowledging that he is the father of the named child.
  
  You can call the child by its fathers surname without any permission whatsoever but you cannot include the fathers actual details unless complying as above.
  
  As to chasing up money, it rather depends on whether or not the mother and child came into contact with the authorities say via the workhouse or some form of relief. If that was the case you may find some records through petty/quarter sessions or workhouse records.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by dmatt74 (U1690430) on Monday, 19th September 2005

  There is of course the scenario of a court case where the mother asked for maintenance but these cases would probably not be many in this period.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by GrumpyZebedee (U2127949) on Wednesday, 28th September 2005

  Unable to obtain a birth certificate for my father b.1889, I managed to find a baptismal record which showed his mother's name (unmarried) but no father's name. If you know where your grandparents were born maybe you could try searching round the local Churches.

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