Illegitimate children not with mother

[birdboot]

I am wondering where illegitmate children would be cared for if not with their mother, who was a servant.

I  have an ancestor Jean Whitton (born Arbirlot 1823) who obtained an aliment decree in 1855 for a female child born "on or about 3rd April 1848".  The name and whereabouts of the child were not stated in the decree, but judgement was given that payment should be made until the child reached the age of 10.  Therefore, I assume that the child must have been somewhere in 1851.  I can't find Jean (or Jane) in the 1851 census.  Was there a workhouse in those days?

She married Edward Johnston at Dundee (also recorded at Perth) on 25 August 1851.  She had a male child in December 1855 recorded as (no first name) Johnston.  However, I believe the marriage had failed at that time.  Edward emigrated in 1857 with two children from a previous marriage. Jean had a daughter recorded as Margaret Whitton in 1858.  No father's name was given.

In 1861 I believe she was a servant to sisters named Symers in Dundee.  (Her place of birth is given as Alyth, but I think this is an error as the enumerator has probably just done "ditto" after the three sisters.)

In later life she formed a relationship with a Thomas Robertson (they did not marry) and she had two children - John Robertson and Maggie Robertson, whose ages match closely the boy named Johnston and the Margaret Whitton born in 1858.

To get to the point of my message, I am wondering where the boy (probably known as John) and Margaret/Maggie were in 1861.  They are not with Jean's parents or any of her siblings.  They would be aged about 6 and 3.  Could they have been in an institution?

[ColC]

Is this Jean's birth or baptism on https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk?

JEAN BUICK WHITTON
ROBERT WHITTON/JOANNA PEACOCK
F
26/05/1822
271
40 / 11
ARBIRLOT

Colin

[birdboot]

Yes, that is Jean.  Just to save going over ground I have covered, I should add that she had an illegitimate child William Livingston in 1851, who subsequently lived with her parents Robert and Joan.

Then she had the child in 1848 who was the subject of the aliment decree.  The father was William Maclachlan, a coachman in Edinburgh.

In April 1850 she was up before the court for "having a child in a rather private manner".  It's a convoluted story in the Dundee newspaper.  The father was alleged to be a coachman in Edinburgh (sounds familiar!).  The child, a girl named Jane, was buried aged 5 weeks.

She married Edward Johnston in 1851 and they had the son registered with no first name in 1855.  The birth record says they also had one other child, a girl, who was dead.  I have never found that birth or burial.

I am trying to find the whereabouts in 1851 of the girl born April 1848 and the whereabouts in 1861 of the boy born 1855 and Margaret Whitton born 1858. 

[ColC]

I note that the surname was different on the rest of the family, hence needing to check.

JOAN PEACOCK   MARRIED   ROBT. WHITTET   26/07/1805   DUNDEE

WHITTET   GEORGE   ROBERT WHITTET/JOAN PEACOCK   23/08/1807   INCHTURE, PERTH

WHITTET   WILLIAM ESSON   ROBERT WHITTET/JOANNA PEACOCK   20/04/1812   ST VIGEANS
WHITTET   MARGARET THOMSO   ROBERT WHITTET/JOANNA PEACOCK   30/10/1813   ST VIGEANS
WHITTET   ISABELLA   ROBERT WHITTET/JOANNA PEACOCK   12/10/1818   ST VIGEANS
WHITTON   JEAN BUICK   ROBERT WHITTON/JOANNA PEACOCK   26/05/1822   ARBIRLOT

Colin

[birdboot]

I have just re-read my original post and want to clarify that Thomas Robertson and Jean never lived together, but hen he died in 1879 he left everything to her in his will.  Thereafter, Jean called herself Jean/Jane Robertson and was recorded on censuses as a widow. 

When John Robertson married in 1885, his mother was recorded as Jean Robertson and father Thomas Robertson (deceased).  I have a legal document from 1878 showing John's surname as Robertson - as you will note, that was a year before Thomas Robertson's death.  I think it is a very strong possibility that Thomas Robertson was father of the son born 1855 and the daughter born 1858.

[birdboot]

Just an update:  I have now found Jean/Jane in 1871 with her children.  They all have surname Robertson.  The census was wrongly indexed on Ancestry giving Jane's first name as "James"!

I have attached a clip from the 1871 census for Dundee St Clements.  Jane's age is wrong, but place of birth Arbirlot is correct and the childrens' ages are correct.

I am now wondering if she might have adopted the surname Robertson as early as 1861, but I have not yet found any census that would fit.

[MonicaL]

One possibility for Margaret in 1861:

Elizabeth Mcgavin 45 Head widow
Wm Mcgavin 20 seaman b. Dundee
Jean Mcgavin 18 weaver b. Dundee
Jessie Mcgavin 13 b. Dundee
Ann Mcgavin 7 b. Fife??
Margt Robertson 3 b. Fife??

Address Ireland's Lane, Dundee

I think this is one of those entries that you are best checking the original image for. Possibility for mistranscriptions.

Monica

[birdboot]

Thanks for that, Monica.  That seems to be a possibility, though the place of birth raises a doubt.

After much searching, I believe I have found Jean/Jane in 1861.  There is a Jean Johnston at 33 Dallfield Walk, living alone, born Arbroath and occupation Mangle Keeper.  As she was at 48 Dallfield Walk in 1871 and occupation Mangler, I am pretty sure I have the right person.

Assuming your find of Margaret is correct, all I need to find is John.  One would assume that both he and Margaret might be living in Dundee fairly close to Jean.
Thanks, Jim

[MonicaL]

Jim, another guess for John in 1861:

Alexander Stalker 27 lab b. Crieff, Perthshire
Euphemia Stalker 27 b. Montago, Perthshire
Andrew Whittet 29 visitor lab. b. Dundee
John Robertson 6 b. Boarder b. Dundee
Catherine Stewart 15 Servant
James Clark 19 Lodger
Robert Speirs 19 Lodger

Address Private House, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire

I think Euphemia and Andrew Whittet may be siblings as it looks like Whittet was also her maiden name from her marriage entry in early 1861 before the census that year.

Monica