How does one go about searching for the father of an illegitimate child in England? I know there was an order made, but no more than that
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Bastardy orders
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The nearer you get to the present day, the more difficult it is.
Before 1836, it was a matter of public concern and Bastardy Orders were very common and mostly survive. After 1836, bastardy became a private matter more or less and unless the child was a drain on the public purse, no official effort was made to either name, or trace the father. It was up to the mother to chase the father for maintenance and this was usually done in the magistrate's court. Personally I have never had any success in finding any of these magistrates orders because they were routinely destroyed as soon as the child reached 14 or 16 or whatever age maintenance stopped being paid.
Into the 20th century, same system, magistrates court, records routinely destroyed when the child left school. Some of course will still exist because someone forgot to destroy them, lol, but I think you would hit a brick wall unless you are the child concerned, as they are sensitive records and will no doubt come under the Data Protection Act, or the 100 year rule.
Occasionally, a Vicar will enter the name of the putative father on a baptism record but that is just down to luck, I'm afraid.
OC
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Many thanks, OC, I was suspecting something like that. I'm the child concerned, and although I know the name of my father, and the fact that he was in the RAF during the war, I've drawn a blank everywhere, including RAF records. It would seem that half of the family tree is going to stay empty!
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Engelsepiet
As you are the child in question, you MIGHT be in luck...do you know in which Magistrate's Court the order was granted? If so, contact them and ask if they still have any records. It's a very slim chance but if you don't ask, you'll never know. Good luck!
(They were also sometimes called Maintenance Orders, although I think that was probably more to do with supporting ex wives)
OC
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Do you say you haven't been able to look at RAF records or that nothing was recorded in them? I found an unexpected request for support when I downloaded a WW1 Army record recently.
Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,
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