Life As A Single Mother in 1940's Lancashire

[Girl Guide]

As far as I know every birth that is registered on the GRO records has a surname.  It will either be the surname of the couple or the maiden name of the mother in the case of an illegitimate birth. 

You also have to consider that surnames can be unclear so they end up being recorded incorrectly. 

[Pendlewitch67]

As far as I know every birth that is registered on the GRO records has a surname.  It will either be the surname of the couple or the maiden name of the mother in the case of an illegitimate birth. 

You also have to consider that surnames can be unclear so they end up being recorded incorrectly.

Hi

Yes, I'm just wondering what Sloe Gin is referring to. Must be something to do with the 1939 register.

Thanks.

[carol8353]

Here is a 1959 heading from a birth cert ,as you will see there is no place to eneter the child's surname,just the father and mother's.

[Pendlewitch67]

Hi

Apologies if this post is repeated but I am unable to locate the post I created earlier if I posted it at all.

Anyhoo, not for the first time, I have stumbled across an ancestor who in the late forties was a single parent.

I am hoping for links to information regarding life as a single parent in Lancashire after the second World War.

I have been seeking information on the 1939 register which lead me to a change in surname which wasn't through marriage or deed poll so I am hoping to shed some light on the reason why a single mother would have the biological father's surname added to the register though later removed. I am interested in links maybe to health care documentation required or welfare available to single parents to understand why the father's name should be declared. Was this information required on the national ID card?

Any help or reading suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Pendlewitch67]

Here is a 1959 heading from a birth cert ,as you will see there is no place to eneter the child's surname,just the father and mother's.

Hi

I guess it was expected the surname either to be that of the named father or just the mother if no father recorded. Perhaps they didn't think an additional column with the child's surname necessary.

Thanks.

[Sloe Gin]

As far as I know every birth that is registered on the GRO records has a surname. 

Not before 1969.

Yes, I'm just wondering what Sloe Gin is referring to. Must be something to do with the 1939 register.

No!

This should clear it up:

Originally (in 1837), only the name (i.e. the forenames) of the child were recorded on the registration — and not the surname.  It was presumed that the child would have taken their father’s surname (if the parents were married) or the mother’s surname (if they weren’t married) ....

.... From 1st April 1969, both a name and surname were recorded on a child’s birth registration.

https://deedpolloffice.com/change-name/law/birth-registration

[Girl Guide]

Thank you for that Sloe Gin. Must admit I hadn't noticed that difference. 

Just goes to show that you need to pay attention to details.   

[Pendlewitch67]

As far as I know every birth that is registered on the GRO records has a surname. 

Not before 1969.

Yes, I'm just wondering what Sloe Gin is referring to. Must be something to do with the 1939 register.

No!

This should clear it up:

Originally (in 1837), only the name (i.e. the forenames) of the child were recorded on the registration — and not the surname.  It was presumed that the child would have taken their father’s surname (if the parents were married) or the mother’s surname (if they weren’t married) ....

.... From 1st April 1969, both a name and surname were recorded on a child’s birth registration.

https://deedpolloffice.com/change-name/law/birth-registration

Wow, that's great to know. Had no idea but makes sense. Either the father or the mother's surname. Parish registers often hold the key.

Thank you 😁

[Sloe Gin]

And remember that where the parent's surnames were different, the registration will appear twice in the index, under each surname.  But there will only be one entry.