Genealogy Chat

Have just received a marriage cert. from 1854. On the brides fathers details, there's just a line through. Why? If he was dead, would they not just put 'deceased'? Would they only miss it off if she were an orphan? Any ideas?! Steph

Hi Steph, have the same problem with my grandmother - but I know that the father wasn't named because nobody knew who it actually was. A case of a base child where it is almost impossible to follow the fathers line unless there is something in the records office if the mother tried to claim maintenance. Have you looked on the birth certificate yet?

She may have been illigitimate. But even so fathers name can appear on marriage certs. If marriage was in 1854 might have been born before civil registration. Might be on parish records. Bob

There's probably no father on her birth certificate. Your only hope is parish records. Vicars were quite good at naming the man involved, especially if the baby was christened.

thanks, everyone. I don't have birth cert , as I think she was born before 1837, may have been born Edgbaston, so will have to try parish records. Thanks again. Steph x

Janice, Is it true that the fathers name may appear in parish records? My grandad was illegitimate, and I am beginning to think that he never knew who his father was. I have just sent for his older brothers birth certificate hoping that may name the father. They both had the same middle name of Stevenson, so I think that is probably the fathers name, but I never thought of looking in the parish records. Maggy, West Yorkshire

Only sometimes were the fathers named on the parish christening. More often then not they just had based born until later on when they left it blank. Probably one way of making the women feel ashamed but as a earlier person mentioned they did like the father to contribute to the upkeep of the child so there would be a court order, or the parish may have some record. Irene

Maggy, I'm going by something I found recently in the baptismal register for Slaithwaite, Yorkshire. An unmarried mother was having her child christened and the father's name had been entered with the mother's. They never married and as far as I know they didn't live together either as I have found mum and child censused with her parents. Depending on the year, there may be a bastardy order naming the father and requiring him to cough up some money.

Maggy, You would be more likely to find the name of the father in the poor law papers in the Parish chest than on parish records. Hope this helps, Gwynne

It can be down to the individual clergy what they put on baptism records. I have noted some that name a man as 'believed' to be the father and others that have no fathers name on. It is worth checking each record to see what has been put down. Helena

I have exactly the same problem with my Gt Grandfather born in 1882/3. Haven't found a birth for him yet either. I hadn't thought of Parish Records so thanx for tips. Cathy