Illegitimate child's father

[Zakerias]

One of my ancestors Elizabeth Reid (nee Starkey) was born out of wedlock. Her mother Caroline Starkey (daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Starkey of Twycross) would have been a teenager at the time.

Surprisingly on Elizabeth's birth certificate, the father is listed as "Ralph Oldacre" but is crossed out. Elizabeth's surname is also Oldacre. When Elizabeth married John Reid in 1871 her name is listed as Elizabeth Oldacre Starkey.

I wanted to ask the community if they felt it was enough evidence to include Ralph Oldacre in my family tree? From the little research I've done on Ralph it would appear he was born in Market Bosworth and he and Caroline were similar ages. He appears to have been a long term resident of Carlton, Leicestershire with his wife Emma Oldacre (nee Lea) who he married in 1863. For whatever the surname 'Oldacre' appears to have changed to 'Oldacres' over time.

Partial birth certificate:


I've put this in the Warwickshire section because the district of Atherstone, where the birth is recorded, is in Warwickshire (please feel free to move if necessary).

[brigidmac]

Adding a middle name to indicate birth father was a common practice and a way for a single mother to obtain paternity payments

But the fact that it was crossed out indicates maybe this paternity was contested

Maybe there is a record of a court case

 Alternatively  a dna test of descendants may show if any connect to Oldacres.

You could add him to tree with a hypothesis. Personal opinion...he denied paternity after birth had been recorded and she couldnt prove it !

[brigidmac]

 is that (32) next to the crossing out ?

code ..?

.someone who knows about BMD registration s may be able to tell you what that means

[Zakerias]

is that (32) next to the crossing out ?

code ..?

.someone who knows about BMD registration s may be able to tell you what that means

I think it is - I honestly have no idea what it means, I've never seen it before. (32?) against Ralph, (33?) against Oldacre. Had no idea about the paternity payments, so thank you. Maybe the birth certificate was altered after it was issued? If that is possible.

[brigidmac]

You can try looking for affiliation orders or bastardy bonds in a local record office .

The one for my grandmother stated fathers name address and detailed what he had to pay for including a birth nurse and regular payments til child reached age of 14 .

Non payment was punishable by imprisonment.

[willsy]

From The Leicester Chronicle 17 March 1855

Caroline Starkey charged Ralph Oldacre with a case of bastardy. The defendant pleaded guilty, and an order was made for 1s 3d per week, with 17s 6d costs.

[nanny jan]

The (32) and (33) refer to corrections made by the Registrar as the name of the father has been crossed out.

[brigidmac]

Great find willsy.
If he admitted guilt i think Oldacre  can safely.be added to Zacerias.tree

The crossing out could be because he wasnt present at registration and is not a legal father

Btw once my great grandmother obtained payment order she had her daughter baptized without the middle n name which indicated birth.father it would be interesting to see if Oldacre was included in baptism .

[Comberton]

Twycross, Leicestershire