Bastardry gaol for a Female

[Yonks Ago]

Can any one please explain why a Female would be sent to prison for Bastardry [ 1823 ] this lady got 3 months hard labour.

Many thanks
Yonks

[Yonks Ago]

Should have noted...
Female got 3 months hard labour..1823 Taunton Somerset England

Yonks

[stanmapstone]

What was her name? The only case I can see in Taunton in 1823 is that of a Philip Garland who was sentenced to hard labour for three months having disobeyed an order in bastardy.     
Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser - Wednesday 24 December 1823

Stan

[Yonks Ago]

Stanmapstone,

What I'm after is why was a woman sent to prison for Bastardry?..

Yonks

[Gardener]

for being lewd and disorderly

http://history.powys.org.uk/history/common/bastard1.html

having lots of un-fathered children was expensive for the Parish I suppose.

[stanmapstone]

Do you mean bastardry or bastardy? Where does this report come from?

Stan

[stanmapstone]

Under tho Old Poor Law (i.e. before 1834) a woman would not be sent to prison for Bastardy, that is having an illegitimate child, it was the putative fathers who were charged with disobeying  bastardy orders. Without more details it is difficult to give an answer.
Stan

[Annette7]

Bastardy and Bastardry are 2 different things.

Bastardry is malicious, aggressive behaviour which is presumably what the woman concerned was charged with.

Annette

[stanmapstone]

Bastardy and Bastardry are 2 different things.
Bastardry is malicious, aggressive behaviour which is presumably what the woman concerned was charged with.

Can you give a reference where it says this is a criminal offence in 1823? The OED does not have that definition. Collins English Dictionary says Bastardry; slang, mainly Australian malicious or cruel behaviour

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/bastardry "Australian informal [mass noun] Cruel, despicable, or otherwise unpleasant behaviour. Origin 1940s: from bastard + -ry."

Stan