Still recorded as illegitimate at death

[LAURIE81]

I've just discovered (finally!) my 3rd great grandfathers death certificate of 1873. Even at 71 years of age he is still recorded as 'illegitimate'! In the space for his occupation it is recorded as "mason (illiegitimate) married to Mary Johnstone." Plus his Fathers name is missing and only his Mothers name is recorded.
So either he was an illegitimate mason??? or the stigma of being illegitimate was that strong.

Any clarification of this type of recording is very welcome.

Laurie

[KGarrad]

In which country was this?

Death certificates from England & Wales don't mention parents.

[Millmoor]

I have seen similar in Scotland. My gg grandmother died in 1897 in Enzie, Banffshire. Her death cert records her as single and illegitimate. The informant was her son in law who had married her also illegitimate daughter. He did not know the first name of her father but did know that her mother had married someone other than her father. When I first came across this death cert I was to say the least somewhat surprised and actually saddened to see her illegitimacy recorded in this way.

William

[suey]

I have seen similar in Scotland. My gg grandmother died in 1897 in Enzie, Banffshire. Her death cert records her as single and illegitimate. The informant was her son in law who had married her also illegitimate daughter. He did not know the first name of her father but did know that her mother had married someone other than her father. When I first came across this death cert I was to say the least somewhat surprised and actually saddened to see her illegitimacy recorded in this way.

William

It does seem harsh, takes away their last bit of dignity. But as they say ‘times were different then”

[GR2]

Now that the minutes of the kirk sessions are available on ScotlandsPeople, you will be able to look to see if there are details of his father there.

[oldfashionedgirl]

Good point GR2
I’m intending to delve into that newly digitised resource next rainy day 

Yes I it does seem very harsh to carry that stigma all your life, especially since it was the ‘sin’ of your parents!

[josey]

Maybe 'Illegitimate' was just written to explain the absence of a father's name so the official recording the death would not be questioned about the blank column?

[scotmum]

.   Discontinuation of the word illegitimate
On 26 December 1918 James Patten MacDougall, Registrar General for Scotland, issued a circular to registrars which stated that:

'... it has been resolved to discontinue the use of the word "(Illegitimate)" in dealing with the registration of the births of illegitimate children, as also in the registration of deaths of persons of illegitimate births'.

The amended instructions came into operation on 1 January 1919. As the change applied retrospectively registrars were authorised to omit the word '(Illegitimate)' when issuing certificates (extracts) of 'births of illegitimate children and deaths of illegitimate persons registered in past years'. If you order an official copy of a statutory birth or death record with an RCE it will be supplied with any corrections or insertions applied. Digital images of statutory birth records and RCEs that you can view on this website are as the original register pages.

bold and underline added by me for emphasis in this thread

per https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/guides/registering-illegitimate-births

[Millmoor]

Thank you, Scotmum. That is interesting reading. I quoted my gg grandmother's death cert in an earlier reply. She herself had 2 illegitimate children, each having a different father. Her son, my g grandfather, predeceased her. He died in Edinburgh in 1889. The word illegitimate does not appear on his death cert although from the way his parents' names are recorded it can easily be inferred that they never married.

William