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Topic: Unmarried mother? (Read 446 times)
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ClairK1980
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 60
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Hi,
I was hoping someone could shed some light on a puzzle for me please.
Why would someone go to another's (rich person) house to have her baby?
My g-grandmother was a housemaid living in Putney who was having an illegitimate child. She went across town to a house in Barnes ('Brightlands') where a George Rowland List and his family were living to have him, as noted on the birth certificate as 'place of birth'.
This seems a bit odd to me - I can't find any connection to this house that would have her going there to give birth...
Hmm... 
Can someone help?
C
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Parker in Richmond, Kingston, Barnes, Surrey and Brighton, West Firle, Ringmer, Eastbourne, Sussex.
Harris in Boughton, Sheldwich, Kent,
Ryder in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.
Wearon in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Greenwich, London.
Messer in Richmond, Surrey.
Warr in Brighton, Sussex.
Colabeen, Colobeen in Lewes, Ringmer and Brighton.
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AMBLY
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4565
Falkland Islands "Desire The Right"
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Hi
Two ideas from me.... 
Perhaps she never went across town to have the baby, per se.
Perhaps she went across town to work - as a housemaid to a well-to-do family. I should imagine in her circumstance, every penny counted that she could earn before baby came along?
And while she was there at work, she went into sudden labour & baby arrived - earlier perhaps, than was expected.
Perhaps she was in the area, and suddenley went into labour whilst walking on the street, and a complete stranger but kindly person from the LIST household (even a servant there) took her into the house to deliver the baby.
Cheers
AMBLY
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ClairK1980
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 60
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Thanks for your reply!
Her listed address at the time was 22 College St, Putney - it doesn't exist now so I can't tell if it was a grand house or not (to merit her being in service there, or just living there). 'Brightlands' did employ 2 servants in 1911, although I don't know who was there in 1916 when the baby was born. Amy (the mother) had 2 other illigitamate children who were born in workhouses so it seems odd that the final one was born in a house.
Wouldn't the employers have let her go if she was obviously heavily pregnant?
C
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Parker in Richmond, Kingston, Barnes, Surrey and Brighton, West Firle, Ringmer, Eastbourne, Sussex.
Harris in Boughton, Sheldwich, Kent,
Ryder in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.
Wearon in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Greenwich, London.
Messer in Richmond, Surrey.
Warr in Brighton, Sussex.
Colabeen, Colobeen in Lewes, Ringmer and Brighton.
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ClairK1980
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 60
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Hi!
The person who lived in the house was a jewellers merchant - there are documents saying that him and his family (wife and children) were living there until 1922, they were there in 1911 as well therefore in 1916 they should have been there as well (unless the house was used as something else due to the War??)
C
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Parker in Richmond, Kingston, Barnes, Surrey and Brighton, West Firle, Ringmer, Eastbourne, Sussex.
Harris in Boughton, Sheldwich, Kent,
Ryder in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.
Wearon in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Greenwich, London.
Messer in Richmond, Surrey.
Warr in Brighton, Sussex.
Colabeen, Colobeen in Lewes, Ringmer and Brighton.
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lesleyhannah
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1070
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Could the husband have been the baby's father - or am I being over-cynical?
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ClairK1980
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 60
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Actually, I did consider that - that's why I tried to trace that family and discovered they lived there for a while....
I guess I'll never know!
Thanks for the reply.
C
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Parker in Richmond, Kingston, Barnes, Surrey and Brighton, West Firle, Ringmer, Eastbourne, Sussex.
Harris in Boughton, Sheldwich, Kent,
Ryder in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire.
Wearon in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Greenwich, London.
Messer in Richmond, Surrey.
Warr in Brighton, Sussex.
Colabeen, Colobeen in Lewes, Ringmer and Brighton.
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carol8353
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5794
My two gorgeous grandsons
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Maybe she was friends with a daughter in the household?
Could they have been family friends- her godparents perhaps?
Carol
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Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukRogers, Rapkin, Phillips - Hammersmith/Fulham/Paddington areas Worth Bailey, Heapy, Burgess. All Macclesfield Cheshire Mockridge,West Monkton Somerset Jenner,Clapham Surrey Kendrick,Liverpool Wensley,Somerset Coleman and Mc Namara from Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland Blake and Maloney from Kilbaha Co Clare, Ireland |
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lesleyhannah
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1070
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It wasn't unusual for upper-class men to 'seduce' working-class girls, so I wouldn't discard that theory. I've already formed my own (totally imaginary) scenario - the pregnant girl, without money or means seeks out the baby's father for help just before she goes into labour . . .
I'd be inclined to see if the husband of the household had left a will - it could possibly produce answers! I'd love to know!!
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