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Topic: Illegitimates - 18th century (Read 315 times)
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EDO
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 671
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Good morning Members,
I am a descendant of an illegitimate birth in 2 April 1765 in BIDDLESDON
whereby, an out- of- wedlock union of James 'Jemmy' GREAVES of Shalstone and Sarah DEELEY produced a son, viz James GREAVES
James snr was born in Shalstone and subsequently resided in Hillesden, where he died in 12 Feb 1795
James snr left a Will [proved 19 February 1795] in which he refers to his
"....... natural son James Greaves begotten by me on the body of Sarah DEELEY"
There existed in some parts of England a requirement for Bastardry Papers -
This is an extract from another shire -
"Bastardy Papers
The first legislation on the subject dates 1576 this stated that a child was settled in the par ish of its father unless a bastard which would be settled in the parish of its mother’s settlement. Later in 1733 an Act was passed which allowed for the imprisonment of the father until the parish were indemnified of payment for the childs care.
A parish would be liable to make payments for a bastard child, with legal settlement, until it entered an apprenticeship or reached the age of 14.
In order to prove settlement for such a child the mother would be “examined” to find the name of the father.
Once this was established a warrant was issued for the father to appear before a magistrate to arrange a payment from him for the child.
A Bastardy Order was drawn up after the birth to list who would pay what towards the child’s upkeep and a Bond was entered into with the father and bondsmen pledging fixed sureties."
Notes about Bastardy Bonds have been extracted from the forward by the Devon Record Office to Devon Family History Society publications about various Parish Bastardy Bond Records.
SOURCE:
The parish Chest by W.E. Tate Cambridge University Press
Beaford Poor Law Records Barnstaple Record Office
2215Aa Add P022 Removal Order 1764
2215Aa Add P035 Bastardy Bonds
Oxford Quarter Sessions Canon Oldfields Calendar Oxford Record Office.
I have the following questions -
Did such a requirement exist in BKM?
Was there a Bastardry Order ever drawn up?
Was such a Bond / Papers ever registered in BKM Court?
With thanks for your time and efforts ..........
EDO
in Brisbane
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jorose
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 3368
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It sounds like in this case, as James Snr left a will in which it sounds like he provided for his son, that it would be unlikely there would be bastardy papers. These happened only when a parish had to support the child, at which point they'd probably either try to claim mother and child should be settled in another parish, or demand she tell them the father's name so they could haul him up and make him pay for the kid.
If James Snr had the money to quietly keep Sarah and James Jr in house and home, then he could avoid the entire messy business of an appearance in the quarter sessions entirely. Still, it's possible there was something, and http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/content/index.jsp?contentid=-746638797 seems to have some info, according to www.a2a.co.uk which has various record office indexes:
Minute Books - ref. Q/SM
Examinations and statements re.settlement, apprenticeship, bastardy, etc., 1727-1808 (mainly 1727-1765).
I've seen some Cornish records where the bastardy proceedings started before the child was born - if the mother was being supported by the parish they'd also try and get money from the father for 'lying-in' or 'confinement' costs.
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EDO
RootsChat Veteran
Offline
Posts: 671
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Good morning Jorose,
Thank you for that information.
James snr was married to Susannah BURMAN in 1742.
James and Susannah had a child [also James] which died in child-hood in 1762 [after 20 years of marriage].
I have not been able to find another birth to Susannah.
James jnr was born in 1765.
It appears that Susannah 'stuck with James snr' over the years and they both died at Hillesden in 1795.
Perhaps there could have been some mutual arrangement for James snr to produce an heir after some 20 years' o marriage, but, perhaps those types of arrangements did not exist in those days!!
It is interesting to note that James snr and Susannah [nee BURMAN] were both born in Shalstone, married in Buckingham.
James jnr was born in Biddlesdon!!
Both deceased in Hillesden!!
I have not been able to find out the BDM of Sarah DEELEY - she was not mentioned in James snr's Will.
Thank you for your time and effort on my behalf.
EDO
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