Genealogy Chat

Thankyou all for your help - another problem cleared up - what a good lot of folk you are. Could never have sorted it out without you. So thanks again. Mary

Yes your right Shelli. (Unmarried fathers permission required since 1875) But Mary was wondering about the position where the father wasn't the father and they register (or re-register) as parents and if it affects the birth certificate. It's supposed to be the natural parents but until DNA tests there was no way of proving parentage. Bob

to re-register a birth where the father details aren't on the orginal then you MUST have the father's consent, either by illing in a special form supplied by reg office or by him being present. If the father was named on the orginal cert and the parents have simply married after the birth then the mother/father can just apply for re-registering by showing the marriage cert. I know all this to be fact as i had to re-register the birth of my three boys after our marriage two yrs ago. the twins had no father details on their certs but the youngest did.If you marry the father of your child it is complusory by law to register the birth to legitimise the birth (registar's words not mine) but I know for a fact they don't chase you if they don't as my sister has never bothered to re-register her two Shelli

As they always say, "You can prove the mother, but you can't prove the father"

Mary, under law it is “assumed” that any child born of a marriage is the child of the couple even if this is not the case. Not wanting to slur the fair sex but there must have be many women who have gone along with the registration of their son/daughter as their husbands knowing this not to be true. That they re- registered the birth after marriage is the same . It would be difficult to prove that they did not do so in good faith. So I think the certificate valid. Even if it was proved that the child was not of the husband , the child would have the same status as an adopted child and relinquish inheritance rights from the biological father. The modern day position is complicated even more by the Child Support Act but lets not go there. Bob

Thanks Robin - I'm pretty certain that Knapp was not the natural father - I now know the biological father in question. Are there any legal implications surrounding this , i.e. is the birth certificate in the name of Knapp a valid one ? Mary

just to fill the gap... Marriage Kevin J Knapp, Amanda J Williamson -- Lincoln -- 1984 March -- Vol 7 page 989 reg no 384 (the 1984+ data gives the actual month, not just the quarter) To re-register the birth, they would have to declare to the Superintendent that Kevin was in fact the natural father, if that's what you're wondering

also on 1837online: Knapp, Leanne -- Williamson -- Lincoln -- 1984 June -- Vol 7, page 1836, reg no 684 (from the 1984+ computerised data) This will be the cert you've got Looks like she was born before the parents married, and then re-registered after the wedding. In that case, they may not supply the 1983 cert, even though it's in the index. If you order it you might just get another copy of the 1984 cert

I've a query about parentage. She was born in 1983(mothers surname Williamson)and as far as I know a birth cirtificate was issued with those details though I'm not certain, but a l birth certificate dated 1984 gave her surname as Knapp. I need to know what her birth name actually is. Bit of a muddle I know but I hope you can help. If not can you point me in the right direction ? Thanks.........................Mary

Mary I've had a look nothing there, I know it says it goes up to 1983, but think there's not much on there for that year. As you have the date of birth what is it you want to know from the birth? If you want to find Leanne have you tried Friends Reunited?

Must be me or the post New Year feeling - no joy at all so can you help.? I'm trying to trace details of the birth of Leanne Williamson, dob 20/7/1983 in Lincoln. I know its fairly recent but it will fill a big gap in my tree ! Thanks................Mary

Mary I have Ancestry and it's U.K. When you tried did you press pages U.K? If you can't get it, and nobody else comes up with other sites, put info of who you want on here and I will look it up for you if you like. Lynda

Cheers Lynda - tried Ancestry but it seems most of the info is US. What I need is a site that will give me details of a birth in UK in 1983. Any ideas ? Mary

Mary They have BMD on Ancestry, but not sure if you have to pay for subscription. Worth a try. Lynda

I have problems accessing Free BMD and a while back a site was mentioned where births marriages and deaths could be accessed free of charge. I cannot remember it - can someone refresh me please ? Mary Brooke