Searching for my Great-Grandmother's Birth...

[tinkerbell5]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone can help or offer me any advice in looking for my Great-Grandmother's birth record.

My Great-Grandmother was called Margaret. She was illegitimate and was born on 29 January 1930, presumably in Derbyshire. The available records and family stories suggest Margaret and her mother had always lived in the county.

Her mother was Gladys Gertrude Swainson (1893-1943). Gladys married a Thomas Roberts in 1934, and thereafter, Margaret was known as Margaret Roberts. This is the name she gave when she married my Great-Grandfather, Arthur Spurr in 1948 in Nottingham. The marriage certificate gives Thomas as being her father.

According to my Grandmother, Thomas was not the father of Margaret, and she was always treated badly for "being born out of wedlock".

After researching the Swainson line, we are now hoping that Margaret's birth certificate may give the name of Margaret's father, although I know it's likely it may not.

If anyone can offer any help or advice on locating a birth record, I'd be really grateful!

Thanks in advance.

[mckha489]

From freebmd

Births Mar 1930   (>99%)
SWAINSON    Margaret    MMN. Swainson    Manchester S.    8d   90

[philipsearching]

From freebmd

Births Mar 1930   (>99%)
SWAINSON    Margaret    MMN. Swainson    Manchester S.    8d   90

Nice find!

The birth certificate will almost certainly not name a father.  There is a remote possibility that a baptism record or a claim for maintenance might name a father - but it's a long shot!

Philip

[tinkerbell5]

Hi both,

Thank you, I've ordered the birth certificate from the info that Mckha489 gave. I hope it is my Great-Grandmother, but with it being registered in Manchester I'm unsure. Have to wait and see!

I know that it's unlikely to give a father's name, but it'll be nice to have some more information about Margaret and her mother. 

Sadly, I haven't been able to find a baptism record. How would I go about finding a claim for maintenance? A search of newspaper articles has produced nothing either 

Thank you again. 

[Pennines]

Hi Tinkerbell -- they used to be called Affiliation Orders or Bastardy Bonds (they may still be called Affiliation Orders) -- but I suspect that your query relates to a case too recent for records to be accessed if there were any.

Often you can find details at the local archives by searching on the name of the mother -- but with this case only being in 1930 - I doubt you will find anything - usually a 100 year closure applies.

If it was brought to court - then maybe it will be in a newspaper, but you have tried that already. Sorry this is such a negative reply - maybe someone else can come up with something more positive for you.

[tinkerbell5]

Hi Pennines. That's a shame but thank you for your info. I'm sure it will come in handy with other research!

So the birth certificate arrived today and it is my Great-Grandmother Margaret! As expected, it doesn't list a father.

It states she was born at 2 Willow Bank in Rucholme, Manchester. Gladys, her mother, was a Confectioners Shop Assistant. She is written as being "of 82 Cedar Street, Derby". Now I'm wondering why Margaret was born in Manchester!

Next to the entry "Adopted" is written. I'm assuming this may be in reference to her being adopted by Thomas Roberts, Gladys' husband whom she married in 1934? Does anyone know if this would have been added at a later date?

A little disappointed that there is no father, but it's opened up more questions! 

[Rattus]

The Macalpine Maternity Home, Belfield Lodge, 2 Willow Bank, Fallowfield, Manchester

See more info here: http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/MH4.shtml

Fallowfield and Rusholme are neighbouring areas.

[tinkerbell5]

Thank you Rattus!

I'd love to look at the records for the home but I'm thinking that the 100 year closure will apply. However, it's great that we know more about her birth now!

[Pennines]

Often unmarried pregnant girls were sent elsewhere to have their baby. This was to save face for the parents of the unmarried girl -- sometimes they were sent to relatives for a while when it became obvious they were pregnant.

That may be why Gladys was in Manchester.

I don't know if the 'Adopted' bit was written at the time or later -- but official adoption WAS in place by then, so it maybe was written later. Alternatively the arrangements could have been made and agreed before the baby was born I suppose. In all honesty I know very little about adoption (except that it formally came into place in 1926). Before that, it was informal arrangements and sometimes made through Doctors.

At least you can research Gladys's line backwards -- and you have an address for her at the time of Margaret's birth.

As regards obtaining records of the home -- they may be at Manchester Archives. If you can prove that both Margaret and Gladys have died -- you never know -- you may be allowed access to the records.

It would be worth a search to see where they are.