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Andrew,

Thank you for that tip. There was one daughter so I might be able to trace her.

Hello all,

Hope you are all having a good weekend? I have a fairly general question about illegitimate baptisms in the early 1800s. My particular ancestor, one Susanna/Susan Hassall b.1780 (possibly Staffs.) had a child John Hassall b.1805 in Stalybridge, Cheshire. John was baptised at the parish church in the next town Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs. giving Susanna as the mother but no father was named. On checking through the Bastardy Accounts for the church there was no application made for financial support (which I've been told would have led to Susanna being required to name John's father?). I infer from this that Susanna and her child must've had support either from the father privately and/or from her own family? Am I right to assume this?
Secondly, looking through the same church records I have found 4 other illegitimate children baptised over the next 11 years (1805-1816) all born to a Susanna/Susan Hassall of Stalybridge and again no fathers named. Given the rarity of the Hassall name in this area this surely has to be my Susanna and what can really have been going on here? To have 5 illegitimate children and not apply to the church for financial support? Also I assume she had them baptised away from her local parish church to avoid gossip and rumour?

Many thanks in advance,
Jason.

Wow! Really? Thank you. I have never been able to find a baptism record for any Susanna Hassall. I've been thinking of possible links to the Leek area, which I guess is not too far from Wolverhampton.
Thank you. I hope people will keep digging or pointing me in the right direction.
So grateful, thank you.

MonicaL my mistake entirely. I'd not done any family research in a number of months and it was a complete oversight on my part.
Apologies.
Jason

How can I find out where he was buried? Any ideas?