Multiple illegitimate children: how unusual?

[coombs]

What options were there for a single woman of little means to support a lot of children? Before the welfare state and not including the workhouse.

My Margaret was a farm labourer. No marriage and no suspected fathers. Could the father(s) be forced to pay for their children's support - and was that likely in reality? I have heard of bastardy bonds but although I have many illegitimate children in my tree, I only found one where the father had actually been identified as financially responsible. Mostly I found illegitimate children born to one mother numbered one or occasionally two (and then they married). 11 is my all time record and I cannot imagine how Margaret could have supported this many without ever marrying.  Her father was also an ag lab. Small North Yorks rural community.  I can't find the children anywhere, no deaths, marriages or appearing within other households.

Intriguing.

Sometimes people did sell themselves a few times, to earn some money if they were poor and desperate.

[Fogmoose]

"Sometimes people did sell themselves a few times, to earn some money if they were poor and desperate."

Oh, without question that happened on occasion. I'm just saying that the overall rate of illegitimacy had very little to do with prostitution, even though one might think the two were related.

[coombs]

My ancestor lived in rural Berkshire and had 3 illegitimate children inbetween 1822 and 1828. Maybe the father wouldn't or couldn't marry her, that is if they all had the same father. I descend from the one born 1822, Thomas Edgington.

[Fogmoose]

My ancestor lived in rural Berkshire and had 3 illegitimate children inbetween 1822 and 1828. Maybe the father wouldn't or couldn't marry her, that is if they all had the same father. I descend from the one born 1822, Thomas Edgington.

Yes, it's very hard to trace fathers in those years before the civil records. If the parents weren't active in the church, and sometimes even if they were, records were scarce to none. I've gotten lucky with most of my illegitimate ancestors so far. The Scot's occasional practice of using the fathers surname as a middle name has saved me several times. Also I have found documentation in poorhouse records as well as Church records. I even have found valuable family history in a book of traditional songs of Scotland! Of course, not everyone will have a piper or fiddler in the family, but it goes to show that you can find things in the most unusual of places. It's a never ending saga, Family research is!