RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Berwickshire => Topic started by: ScottishAncestry on Saturday 08 February 14 14:04 GMT (UK)
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You may have seen that over the last few months we have been indexing the 'paternity' cases in the books of extracted decrees in the Sheriff courts of the south of Scotland, work is now well under way to index the Berwickshire cases.
What does this mean?
It was not unusual for the mother of an illegitimate child to take the father to court for aliment or maintenance of the child. She had to prove to the court that he was the father. If it was proven a decree was made that he should pay and for how much. Often an extract was made, if it was a copy was recorded in a book. We are indexing these books.
This means that you can find out who the father of an illegitimate father is!
This information was not always put on post 1855 birth certificates!
There is often no corresponding Kirk Session Entry!
Our Index is free!
The total number of cases indexed is now 3,640 entries and the index covers most of the Scottish Borders and all of Dumfriesshire!
1830-1914 - Dumfries - Dumfriesshire
1831-1892 - Jedburgh - Roxburghshire
1830-1851 - Duns - Berwickshire
1837-1914 - Peebles - Peeblesshire
1830-1906 - Selkirk - Selkirkshire
Here is the link to our index: http://maxwellancestry.co.uk/ancestry/resources/courtsearch.aspx
Here is a link to our help pages: http://maxwellancestry.co.uk/ancestry/resources/helpcourt.aspx
Emma
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Sounds like a great resource Emma.
Is the following correct?:
This means that you can find out who the father of an illegitimate father is!
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Yes that's right. We've found these are a very underused resource to find out this information.
After 1855 you may see an 'RCE' in connection with a decree, but not always. We have also found the limited information on the birth certificate is not always enough to correctly identify the father.
Before 1855 you may have a clue in the census, perhaps the child has the father's surname but this is not usually enough to identify the father.
We have a volunteer indexing the records for us and we have indexed the following information from the decree:
Pursuer's Name, Occupation and Residence
Defender's Name, Occupation and Residence
Child Born
Case Year
Court
Emma
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Emma. Sorry to question you, but I thought you had intended to write " father of an ileegitimate child" rather than " father of an illegitimate father" so just wanted to clarify. :)
Anyway, it all sounds very useful. Good luck with it.
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Sounds as though it will be very useful :) Thanks for advising RChat. :D
I, too, thought that you meant:
'who the father is of the illegitimate child'
Thanks
Joy
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Oh sorry, I didn't read it right! You can find out the father of an illegitimate child!
You are sometimes given information about he man's family, especially in the court processes: but that's not what I meant!
Sorry.
Emma