Author Topic: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children  (Read 1075 times)

Offline plumpyone

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1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« on: Thursday 31 March 22 14:16 BST (UK) »
I have identified two possible ancestors however their baptism records are puzzling me - both were baptised in the same church in the 1830s however in both cases they have been recorded as illegitimate however they have been baptised with their fathers surname and the father has been named. 
I've attached one of the examples, the other is Stephen McConnell with father Moses McConnell

Is it unusual for a child to be baptised with the fathers name and also recorded as illegitimate?  Could it be that the parents were a mixed marriage which was not recognised by the Catholic Church so children were recorded as illegitimate? 

just curious - thanks

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Online athacliath62

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 31 March 22 14:32 BST (UK) »
the baptism (NLI 5587/03 page 32) does not give the surname of the child - just the parents, the transcript seems to be assuming the father's surname, ' illegitimate' is written between, and slightly above, the child's name and the father's details.

Offline heywood

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 31 March 22 14:39 BST (UK) »
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Elwyn Soutter

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 31 March 22 22:33 BST (UK) »
With some illegitimate births the father was present and in that case his name would be recorded. There was no requirement to be married for the father's name to be recorded in the baptism register. I have seen other baptisms where where the father wasn't present, and it says "reputed father...." If the  baptism record says illegitimate, I think you can assume that's what it was. Nothing to do with a mixed marriage.
Elwyn


Offline Jon_ni

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #4 on: Friday 01 April 22 13:21 BST (UK) »
Plumpyone

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Offline Maggsie

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #5 on: Friday 01 April 22 13:43 BST (UK) »
Another thing is, if the lady was pregnant at the time of marriage, then the Priest would insert illegitimate as the child was conceived before the marriage.
The Priest would work out the child's Date of Birth work back 9 months. Boy oh God help you if the baby was premature!
Check the marriage date, I should image there were married.
Maggsie   

Offline Maiden Stone

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #6 on: Friday 01 April 22 22:20 BST (UK) »
Another thing is, if the lady was pregnant at the time of marriage, then the Priest would insert illegitimate as the child was conceived before the marriage.
The Priest would work out the child's Date of Birth work back 9 months. Boy oh God help you if the baby was premature!


Do you have evidence?
I know that "begotten in fornication" was on some Scottish baptism registers (Presbyterian).
A baby born to married parents was legitimate unless one of the parents claimed and could prove otherwise.
 There may have been cases in which the bridegroom wasn't father of the baby the bride was expecting. If he'd been deliberately deceived into believing he was the father, and later found out he wasn't, he may have had grounds for annulment.   
Cowban

Offline Maggsie

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 02 April 22 09:26 BST (UK) »
Yes, many times I have found this.
When I see these, I check the marriage dates.
The Fathers name is never listed when they are not married.
Maggsie

Offline aghadowey

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Re: 1830s RC baptisms - illegitimate children
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 02 April 22 10:59 BST (UK) »
I have seen baptisms (Catholic & Protestant) where the father of an illegitimate child is listed. In some registers there is almost always a father, or alledged father, named as though the officiant required a father's name before baptism would take place.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!