no fathers name on bith certificate

[Elwyn Soutter]

I am not 100% certain what the law is in Northern Ireland on adding a father’s name to a birth certificate. I think that in Scotland once a couple marry a child born prior to the marriage is automatically legitimised, and the Registrar can make an entry in the Register of Corrected Entries (RCE) recording that. Presumably after some sort of statutory declaration by the father.  (The Registrar never amends the original. They just put a note in the margins referring to the RCE and that’s where you find the extra information). 

It might not be the same in Northern Ireland. I don’t know. If you really want to find out, ring GRONI in Belfast who keep the records and they’ll tell you.

But the other thing that occurs to me is that it would undoubtedly involve the father going specially to Belfast to see the Registrar to get the matter attended to. So a bit of time and effort required there. He might just have let it go. People didn’t use birth certificates very often in 1900. There were no passports and you rarely had to produce the document. Getting his son’s birth certificate amended may not have been very high up his list of priorities.

[Rosinish]

What was John's occupation on Emma's birth cert?

Could he have been absent through work i.e. unable to attend the registry office when Alexander was born?

What was John's father's name as this may be a clue as to John being the father if Alexander was John's father's name?

Annie

[tomy]

Thanks to everyone for your efforts.

[tomy]

Rosinish,on John and Emma's marriage certificate he is a miner in Airdrie,both Emma and johns fathers were called Alexander so no clue there.it just seems odd to me that if John was Alexander's father in 1886 why would he be called Kerr and not Mcroberts,would they wait three and a half years to have another child in 1889 and claim to be married on this birth certificate when they didn't claim to be married on johns.

[aghadowey]

Registered births do not take into account any stillbirths or miscarriages that would have occured. In addition, it could be that the father was working away from home for a while, in gaol, etc.

It wasn't uncommon for illegitimate children to list a stepfather or mother's long-term partner as their father on a marriage certificate.

[tomy]

I've taken everything in and I think my only hope is to find a side note or comment on the birth or baptism cert.thanks again all.

[Ruskie]

If Alexander died in Scotland, what does that say his father's name is? Though not as reliable as other certificates, it would still be interesting to know.

[tomy]

on alexanders marriage and death certificates he gives his father as john mcroberts but its possible that he just adopted john as his father.

[RosemaryJoan]

My grandmother was illegitimate and I found out her father's name on her baptism record in Aghalee C of I church records.  It just had an I against it, but gave the father's name.  Good old C of I!!!  Do you think he might have been baptised and where??
RosemaryJoan