Impossible task - Finding an illegitimate child born in Birmingham!

[LaytonLily]

Can anyone give me some pointers please to what is likely to be an impossible task.   My father told me this :  His Aunt Charlotte (Lottie) Hunt (married name Fisher) Born 1870 had an illegitimate son who was put into an 'institution' (presume children's home) and when he came out (as a young man) he went into the army and rose to the rank of Captain.   Not sure when this child would have been born, Charlotte had a son in 1899 so maybe after then.  She was not with her husband and children on 1901 census, but I have not found her living elsewhere in 1901, or 1911 for that matter.

She would register the child presumably, so maybe if I looked for births with mother's maiden name of Hunt ?   How would an illegitimate child be registered ?   Of course I don't know what surname the child would have.

Also relating to Charlotte, how would I find her divorce sometimes after 1901 ?   She went on to re-marry and I have been looking for possible marriages for her, realising she might not have bothered to get divorced before re-marrying.   Were stricter checks made when someone married after 1901, to make sure they were not still married ?   I know there were lots of bigamous marriages before 1900.    I have found details of 3 possible marriages in 1917, 1919 and 1921, yet to be explored.

Thank you for any help.

[mckha489]

The child “should” be registered as HUNT with no separate MMN in the GRO index


Like this one


HUNT, JOHN  EDWARD     - 
GRO Reference: 1889  D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 06D  Page 94


It’s going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack!  You would have to buy any likely cents to see who the mother was. 
She may not even have had the baby in her home district.

When did she marry?

Added.

Is she the 1888 marriage to James Arthur FISHER? So only 18?
Do you think the child was born AFTER the marriage?  In which case he might be under FISHER.

[Milliepede]

Who was Charlotte's father?

Charlotte had a son in 1899 so maybe after then.

Was that with a husband?

Would assume the illegitimate child was born before she married?

[Milliepede]

Did she have children Beatrice and James or is that another family?

Can you post some census details for background please.

[avm228]

The chronology needs clarifying:

1870 Charlotte Hunt born in Birmingham to Joseph & Ruth
1888 Charlotte Hunt marries James Arthur Fisher
1889 Birth of Beatrice Gertrude Fisher
1891 Birth of James Arthur Fisher (2mo old in census)
1891 Family in High St, Kings Heath, Kings Norton RG12/2350/7/7
1893 Birth of William Henry Fisher
1895 Birth of a possible son, Male Fisher mmn Hunt, Jun qtr 1895 Kings Norton
1899 Birth of a son?? - details needed

[guest189040]

My own Great Grandmother was illegitimate and despite ten years researching my family I am no nearer finding who her Father was.

I obtained her Birth Certificate and as expected no Father was listed.

I looked at Court Records to see if there were any paternity cases and there were none.

You have two chances of finding the child, little and none.

[mckha489]

Is James Arthur junior the one from a “well known Birmingham family”. Who misrepresented himself as an Army Captain in BOTH world wars?

[avm228]

William Henry Fisher b 1893 is with his grandmother Ruth Hunt and aunt, also Ruth Hunt, in 1901.

[LaytonLily]

You are all so wonderful !  but then i always knew that.  I thought all i might get is  'You have two chances of finding the child, little and none.' which I loved from Biggles50 !
But just the fact you are prepared to try I applaud you for.

So from avm228 - very interesting that you find a birth ' 1895 male Fisher  mmn Hunt'. Will look into that.  All your census entries are correct for the family and the son born in 1899 was Francis (Frankie) Bayliss Fisher.  There is some question he might not have been the son of James Arthur Fisher because of that name of Bayliss - that to be investigated  -    but I have reason to believe he became a butcher.

  Mckha489    What is this ?!  'Is James Arthur junior the one from a “well known Birmingham family”. Who misrepresented himself as an Army Captain in BOTH world wars?'
     Was  his surname Fisher then ?

Any advice on divorce records ?    Know Charlotte was Housekeeper to a gentleman around 1915 and went on to marry him, but no idea of his name.