Illegitimate Children (Edinburgh 1860s)

[stewart_r]

Hi,

I am new to genealogy and have hit a bit of an impasse in researching my paternal grandmother's line. I have gotten a couple of generations back and discovered an ancestor who's 1867 birth certificate states "Illegitimate".

His father is listed as a James Stevenson - Shoemaker and his mother's as Mary Gillespie - Boot Binder.

Looking at the 1861 Census in the same area (although not quite the same address) I can find a Mary Gillespie with occupation Boot Binder living with her husband Michael Gillespie and a couple of children. Similarly, I can find a James Stevenson with occupation Shoemaker living with his wife and child.

Does this make it likely that my ancestor was the result of an extra-marital affair or am I leaping to conclusions with some common names and occupations in a highly populated city? Is there anyway to research this further?

[mckha489]

My thoughts.   There are others on the board more experienced in Scotland but..

If she was married, I think even though illegitimate, that the mother’s maiden surname would be entered.

Also, being Scotland, I am inclined to think it would say something like Mary Gillespie M(aiden) S(urname) Brown,  wife of…….

So I would be looking for an unmarried Mary Gillespie.

Added.. also, technically, if the mother is married, the baby is not illegitimate.

Added .. have you found the child in 1871?  Who are they with?

[GR2]

As mckha489 says, if the mother was married, the certificate would state the fact and that her husband was not the father. Your first task would be locating the child in the 1871 and 1881 census.

If you have found the child's marriage and death certificates, how were the parents described there?

[Neale1961]

What was the name of the child born in 1867?
Where was the birth registered?
Who registered the birth?
What was the address?
It is necessary to know all the information on the birth reg.

[dowdstree]

I am attaching a copy of an Edinburgh birth registration for 1885 where both parents were present at the birth registration but the child is marked "illigitimate" as the parents were not married at the time of the birth. If they had been married it would have given the date and place of their wedding.

It is my understanding that in Scotland a child born to a married couple, was considered the child of the husband and would therefore be legitimate.

Hope this helps.

[Millmoor]

Family search has 4 children showing with parents named as James Stevenson and Mary Gillsepie born in Edinburgh in the correct timeframe.

Jane Stevenson born 15 July 1858 ( mother named as Mary Stevenson Gillespie) There is a death on Scotland's People in 1859 in Canongate RD for a Jane Stevenson with mother's maiden name of Gillespie age 1.

Mary Stevenson or Gillespie born 13 Jan 1865 ( I note there is a death on Scotland's People in 1866 in Canongate RD with mother's maiden name of Gillespie age 2)

William Stevenson 23 Dec 1867 ( I suspect this is your ancestor)

Richard Stevenson 22 Oct 1860

Re the last named this 1861 census entry is worth considering

Address Pleasance , St Cuthbert's, Canongate

James Stevenson Married 44 Shoemaker b Canongate
Mary Stevenson Married 35 Boot binder b Canongate
Richard Stevenson Son 0 b Greyfriars Midlothian

Is this coincidence re the occupations? Is it possible that James and Mary lived as man and wife but never actually married? It may be worth obtaining some of the birth and death certs noted above to establish if they are the other children of the James Stevenson and Mary Gillespie you are looking for.

William

[MonicaL]

William, I think you are right with your conclusions.

This is 1871 I think from what you have found:

James Stevenson 55  Shoemaker (unempld) b. So Leith, Edinr
Mary Stevenson 46 b. So Leith, Edinr
William Stevenson 3 b. So Leith, Edinr
Address: 4 High Calton, Canongate

I wonder where son Richard may be. Can't see a death for him in this decade between censuses.

Monica

[Neale1961]

There is a death in 1862 (no age or details)
STEVENSON   RICHARD
Canongate
1862
685/3 1188

[stewart_r]

Thank you so much everyone for responding so helpfully.

To answer the questions:

.. have you found the child in 1871?  Who are they with?

I found the same record as Monica. I suspected this might be them but then was confused because Mary's surname was now Stevenson but I couldn't find a marriage record. I'd also missed the occupation matching so couldn't quite convince myself it was the same James, Mary & William (such common names, right?)

What was the name of the child born in 1867?
Where was the birth registered?
Who registered the birth?
What was the address?
It is necessary to know all the information on the birth reg.

Sorry, I should have included more on my OP. Images of William Stevenson's birth, marriage and death certs all attached this time.

...It may be worth obtaining some of the birth and death certs noted above to establish if they are the other children of the James Stevenson and Mary Gillespie you are looking for....

Thanks so much for that useful, I've obtained Richard Stevenson's birth certificate which looks very similar to William's (ran out of space to attach it to the post but parents names & occupations same as on William's and also "Illegitimate").

It's sounding like the consensus of opinion is that it's really likely that Mary Gillespie and James Stevenson just never married officially although they lived as if husband and wife throughout? I think I was thrown off by assuming the Mary's name would only change from Gillespie to Stevenson if there was a marriage record but I can see how naοve that assumption was now.

I think that unblocks me and gives me confidence that the Mary Stevenson/Gillespie & James Stevenson on the census records are my ancestors and let's me try and pin down some birth records for them (why did everyone choose such common names back then!!? :-))

Thank you so much everyone - it's really appreciated