Can you help me find father of illegitimate child?

[NickT]

Hi,

In a nutshell.  Female born in Charlwood, Surrey during 1850.  No father on BC.  No indication from census returns 1851 onwards. No subsequent marriage found for mother.

Does anyone have any suggestions how the father could be traced?  For example, bastardy bonds seem to have disappeared with the reform of poor law in 1837, but did anything take their place?  Did affected families take errant fathers to court for maintenance?  Has anyone got any experiences or methods to share?

This is an area that seems to create many brickwalls, but is something I don't see debated very often.  I welcome any help with this at all.

Nick

[NickT]

I forgot to say that the father's name is not on the females marriage cert when she grows up and gets hitched.

Thanks, Nick

[behindthefrogs]

Surrey History Centre seems to hold bundles of bastardy returns up  to 1858.

I found the information on :

www.a2a.org.uk

which will give the address etc of the history centre.  I just searched the centre with the keyword "bastardy"

[NickT]

Good advice, but when I contacted the Surrey Records Office earlier they said that in the main the bonds were issued before reform of the poor law system and any that survive following this time are few and far between.  A search did not reveal the person I am looking for.

Prior to the reform and the formation of the Unions, each separate Parish had a keen and prompt interest to discover the father of illegitimates, particularly if they were from a poor family meaning a further burden on parochial funds.

It was not unknown for the Parish Overseers to threaten to have the poor girl flogged if she refused to co-operate naming the father and when the father was apprehended, if he refused to play ball, he was often invited to 'contemplate his position' whilst relaxing in the local House of Correction. 

Another alternative to this was to consider a career on the high seas and this was seen as a more attractive choice for many reluctant fathers.

I should try to find the child's baptism next.  Maybe the father will be included with the entry... maybe... if I'm really lucky!

Regards, Nick

[behindthefrogs]

If you haven't done so already the places worth checking are:

The minutes of the guardians of the poor.
Relieving officers accounts for out-relief
The parish vestry minutes
The quarter session records
The ecclesiastical court records

The parish overseer of the poor still existed but his duties rapidly only became concerned with collecting the poor rate.

You can also try putting the mother's name into a2a.  it might pick up a court case.

I will admit most of the above have a low chance of success

David