Bastardy order issued in Shefford

[J from Canada]

I am trying to find out if a bastardy order was issued on behalf of John Clarke Palmer born in Shefford on Sept 20, 1855, son of Ann Palmer. No father's name given on John's birth cert and he gave a fictitious name (John Clarke Palmer) for his father on his marr cert. Ann Palmer remained unmarried throughout her life. I can't find a bastardy order on A2A.... Any thoughts on how I would go about finding out if a bastardy order was issued would be greatly appreciated!

Joanna from Canada

[bedfordshire boy]

Genuki has this to say "Trying to find details of bastardy cases after 1839 is difficult. Bastardy bonds and other parish bastardy documents ceased to be used after 1834 when the Poor Law Unions were created. From 1834 to 1839 the Workhouse administrators initiated bastardy proceedings through the Petty and Quarter Sessions Courts, and from 1839 all bastardy cases were heard at Petty Sessions, and initiated by the mother, who had to produce corroborative evidence to convict the putative father."

So you need to search through the Petty Sessions records which are held at Bedford & Luton Archives and Records Service in Bedford.

Was his middle name Clarke perhaps a message to the world from Ann as to the father?

David

[J from Canada]

Hi David,

Many thanks for this information and I'll follow this up with the Records office in Bedfordshire. I had the same thought about his father- gives me another name to follow up in the records with, as well!

Best, Joanna