news reports were published in wales and as far as australia
im trawling through them again to find any names of witnesses tho i know they were mostly kept secret
i.ll write a summary as the topic is long and some theories can be dismissed
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175927327heres a report from australia
its interesting to compare the tone of the papers ..quite a few were sympathetic to the couple and they were treated " leniently " because they had helped other young ladies in an indelicate situation and prevented one from throwing herself in the Mersey .
My grandmother was not one of the babies in the court case ..her mother Lottie Roberts had left her with a friend ..from her dressmakers work or her lovers fathers drapers business
the friend was a 30 year old single shirtmaker living with her 60 year old parents who took over Maisies care in 1906 when their daughter died . we believe the father paid the maintenance that he was ordered at least for the first few years and may well have paid the family directly
Maisie had a good live and her foster father had been a workhouse child himself so saved her from that fate .
the baby who was brought to court and proven to be Charlotte ROBERTS /BOURNE own child was Jessie SMITH born Swansea 1906 Herbert SMITH aka Leo Selwyn was registered as father but in court repeatedly denied it .
i think he was reputed father of one of the other babies .need to reread ALL the articles .
Jessie was brought in by the adoptive mother and was a testement to how well cared for she was and that good homes had been chosen for the children .
even one birth father testified in the couples favour .
Mrs Francis KITCHEN may have been witness for prosecution initially it looks as if she was angry about the amount of money the couple wanted .
The KITCHINGS had paid £11 to cover baby Harry's care but the couple later requested travel expenses .
the formidable grandma may have raised Harry as her daughter married in 1909 and had a legitimate daughter . harry was with grandparents in 1911 .
trees on Ancestry dont know who his fater is ..one has the brother
on his marriage certificate he gave fathers name as harry KITCHING ..I wonder if there is a Harry LEIGHTON in the vicinity
Jessies story is similar to my grandmothers
probably 2 different Lottie ROBERTS but although we do now know what became of OUR Lottie the years between 1900 - 1907 are a mystery
+ there doesnt seem to be a suitable candidate for a shropshire born waitress turned assisistant to an escapologist before or after these years .
