Author Topic: Illigitimacy - understanding it  (Read 5127 times)

Offline sophiewilliams

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Illigitimacy - understanding it
« on: Saturday 25 July 15 12:11 BST (UK) »
Hello
I wonder if someone could help me understand about illegitimacy in these circumstances set out below.

My great Grandma was married and had two daughters in that marriage.  Her husband was admitted into an asylum.  She then got pregnant and my grandma, the result of that pregnancy, was always called
illigitimate.  Does a woman have to be married to the child's father to make the child legitimate or is it enough that the child's mother's marital status is "married"? Getting myself in a muddle here but hoping this makes sense to someone!

Thank you

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 25 July 15 12:17 BST (UK) »
As your great grandmother was married at the time, the child would generally not be classed as illegitimate, and would take the family name. It was assumed that the husband was the child's father even if he was not.
In your case perhaps your great grandmother admitted that your grandmother was illegitimate, and that her husband was not the father.
Do you have your grandmother's birth certificate?

Offline sophiewilliams

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 25 July 15 12:31 BST (UK) »
Hello Ruskie
Thank you for the reply.  No, my grandmother doesn't have a birth certificate.  Her mother did go on to marry another man after the death of her first husband when my grandma was three years old.  Whether the second husband was the father.. .we don't know.  Their marriage I believe at that time wouldn't have legitimised her.  We're talking 1917 for second marriage.  My grandma got married herself and that marriage certificate leaves father details blank.  Very frustrating!


Offline Ruskie

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 25 July 15 12:50 BST (UK) »
Your grandmother's birth should have been registered,  so you should be able to obtain her birth certificate. Her birth certificate may, or may not, give her real father's name. It would be interesting to find out.


Offline Yonks Ago

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 25 July 15 12:54 BST (UK) »
Sophie,
Im sure there would be an entry for your Grandmothers birth, if you gave her name and place of birth maybe we could take a look for you. if her mother didn't name the father then details would be blank. So if no father noted..the mother was able to provide for herself or had family help.

Yonks
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Offline sophiewilliams

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 25 July 15 13:05 BST (UK) »
Hello Yonks and Ruskie....thank you so much for helping me!  Now I do know Alice (great grandma) went back to her folks in Brampton Abbots to have my Grandma (Kathleen).  I've been told Kathleen was born 6th June 1914 and Alice had her by herself.  Kathleen had great trouble getting a passport later on in life and had to rely on a friend who had known her from birth and then for five years thereafter.....that's all I can tell you.  Surely Alice would have been in trouble for not registering her in any shape or form?  Kathleens surname was Bick.  Alice's maiden name was Goode.

Many thanks!

Offline sophiewilliams

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 25 July 15 13:06 BST (UK) »
......and Kathleen was actually born at Hole in the Wall, around the Brampton Abbots, Foy area.

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 25 July 15 13:08 BST (UK) »
Alice's maiden name was Goode? What was the surname of her husband who was in the asylum?


Yes, Alice should have registered Kathleen's birth. Perhaps the reason  Kathleen could not find her birth certificate was that she was registered with a different surname or in a  different area? :-\

Offline sophiewilliams

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Re: Illigitimacy - understanding it
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 25 July 15 13:12 BST (UK) »
She married George Bick and all three daughters took that surname  :).  She later married a David Waters and David didn't adopt Kathleen later on, was it 1929 when law changed? Which makes me think she isn't his also.