Where would I look for bastardy records

[vikki brace]

I have an illigitimate birth in 1861, born in westminster but mother from Lincolnshire as is the possible father.

Where would I look for the bastardy records and what information do they contain

Thanks

[Olde Crone Holden]

Have you tried the WIKI,...erm....Vikki? (Lol, sorry!)

In fact you will be very lucky indeed to find bastardy records as late as this. By this time, they were being dealt with in the magistrate's courts, and I have never managed to track one down in this period - although I may just have been unlucky, of course, I was told that the courts routinely destroyed them two years after the date of the final payment.

OC

[vikki brace]

Great, so the chance of me finding any payments to the mother will be slim if not impossible.

EDIT - Just checked the Wiki, not looking good - Poop

[Olde Crone Holden]

Have you looked for a baptism? Sometimes the name of the reputed father was entered onto the register.

OC

[KiteRunner]

If you have the possible father's name, then you could look to see if he left a will which might mention the child.

[vikki brace]

Going to check for a baptism at the LMA when i'm next there, he was born in Westminster so fingers crossed he was baptised there and not back in Lincolnshire as I am never going to get there!!!

The father is one of 2 men (although there is a chance it could have been their father!!!!)

Charles Frederick Swain b.1839 d.1898
Richard Henry Swain b.1841 d.1895

I am leaning towards Richard as the son was called Henry Swain Dawson. Henry was not a Dawson family name.

I know i'm clutching at straws. ;)

Both men were farmers with in excess of 100 acres, and their father Charles who had been widowed in 1860 had over 800 acres, so I was hoping for at leat one will on TBA but no luck.:(

[KiteRunner]

What's TBA? I know I'm going to kick myself when you say it!

[vikki brace]

Woops - I hit the wrong key it should be TNA :o

[KiteRunner]

If they died in 1895 and 1898 then their wills wouldn't be on TNA - you would need to order them from York (details are in the Wiki). You could search the National Probate Calendar at a record office first to see if there is an entry.

[vikki brace]

I'll look in at the probate office when I go to the LMA then, gives my eyes a break from the microfiche reader thingy

[KiteRunner]

Oh, the National Probate Calendar at my local record office is on microfiche!

[vikki brace]

fortunatly the LMA is 10 minutes from the Probate office in London and they have the huge bound books, so much nicer then staring at a screen

[Velma Dinkley]

OC wrote an excellent article on Bastardy Bonds for the July issue of the magazine

Caroline's Family History Pages - Written Sources



;)