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The Common Room / Disguising illegitimacy on birth certificate
« on: Thursday 08 April 21 12:56 BST (UK) »
My 2x great grandfather William Rolles/Rowles (later Louch) was born on 17th October 1869 in Eynsham, Oxfordshire.
He was baptised on 25th December 1869 in Steventon, Berkshire - where his mother grew up. In his baptism record, it lists his birth date and says he is the illegitimate son of Esther Rolls. Esther went on to marry Charles Louch in Headington, Oxfordshire in 1875 and William took on his stepfather's surname.
Out of curiosity I recently ordered a birth certificate which I thought perhaps might be his.
It turns out I was right, but interestingly his mother tried to cover up the illegitimacy. I was wondering how common this was as usually I have come across the father's name just being left blank on birth certificates.
On this particular certificate, his mother, who registered the birth, lists the father as William Rolls, a farm servant. Esther lists herself as Esther Rolls formerly Butler. It's interesting because Butler is her stepfather's name. Her own father died when she was a baby and her mother remarried a Richard Butler a few years later. Her mother than also died when Esther was 9.
So it seems she just picked some familiar names from the family.
Have others come across this too, and fairly often?
Sorry for all the waffle.
He was baptised on 25th December 1869 in Steventon, Berkshire - where his mother grew up. In his baptism record, it lists his birth date and says he is the illegitimate son of Esther Rolls. Esther went on to marry Charles Louch in Headington, Oxfordshire in 1875 and William took on his stepfather's surname.
Out of curiosity I recently ordered a birth certificate which I thought perhaps might be his.
It turns out I was right, but interestingly his mother tried to cover up the illegitimacy. I was wondering how common this was as usually I have come across the father's name just being left blank on birth certificates.
On this particular certificate, his mother, who registered the birth, lists the father as William Rolls, a farm servant. Esther lists herself as Esther Rolls formerly Butler. It's interesting because Butler is her stepfather's name. Her own father died when she was a baby and her mother remarried a Richard Butler a few years later. Her mother than also died when Esther was 9.
So it seems she just picked some familiar names from the family.
Have others come across this too, and fairly often?
Sorry for all the waffle.
Andy
