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The Common Room / Could a widow be referred to as a singlewoman?
« on: Saturday 23 January 21 10:44 GMT (UK) »
One of my ancestors had two illegitimate children born after the death of her husband. I know this from her will and one baptism record.
I had assumed an 1816 bastardy examination to be about the child I don't have a baptism for - except it refers to her as a "singlewoman". This may be a silly question but has anyone ever seen a widow referred to as such? Obviously I've seen spinsters referred to as singlewomen but is there any grey area where it was used to mean a woman unattached due to widowhood?
I had assumed an 1816 bastardy examination to be about the child I don't have a baptism for - except it refers to her as a "singlewoman". This may be a silly question but has anyone ever seen a widow referred to as such? Obviously I've seen spinsters referred to as singlewomen but is there any grey area where it was used to mean a woman unattached due to widowhood?