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Help with an (probable) illegitimate birth
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Originally posted by JWS View PostLinda,
Thanks - good spot! I hadn't even realised that the GRO index on FMP show the maiden name - they don't on Ancestry!
JamesCarolyn
Family Tree site
Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff
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Yes, I agree Fireman looking at the enlarged image.
It is looking unlikely that John and Mary are the parents of your Frederick George. In my experience, single mothers were much more inclined to lie to a registrar than to a vicar and most vicars didn't pass up an opportunity to write the word illegitimate!
If you are certain you have the correct birth certificate, then I would think Frederick is hiding somewhere under another name, i.e. his mother has married and he appears under his stepfather's surname, or he is in an institution of some sort.
OC
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Originally posted by Katarzyna View PostI think there are two families here of the Smith / Gregory.
For example these two:
SMITH, GEORGE HENRY GREGORY GRO Reference: 1862 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 351
SMITH, JOHN GEORGE GREGORY GRO Reference: 1862 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 377 Linda
My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955
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Originally posted by Katarzyna View PostHave enlarged the abode and occupation:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20212[/ATTACH]Linda
My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955
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Thanks all - I'm amazed by the support you lot are offering! This forum is fantastic!
Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View PostIt is looking unlikely that John and Mary are the parents of your Frederick George. In my experience, single mothers were much more inclined to lie to a registrar than to a vicar and most vicars didn't pass up an opportunity to write the word illegitimate!
Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View PostIf you are certain you have the correct birth certificate, then I would think Frederick is hiding somewhere under another name, i.e. his mother has married and he appears under his stepfather's surname, or he is in an institution of some sort.
OC
That said, I'm now wondering:
- if Frederick George wasn't brought up as SMITH and only changed (to his birth name?) before he married in 1879. Is this at all likely given the likely birth certificate and all documents from 1879 list him as SMITH?
- if Frederick George might have been given away to a workhouse or union of some sort after he was born?
It's so frustrating but I keep reminding myself a negative result is still another pathway explored.
Thanks for all your help with this!
James
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Well, he would only appear on the census under another name, that doesn't necessarily mean he changed his name for everyday life. Census enumerators often assumed things. And of course, people giving details often thought it ws no one elses business what had gone on in the family.
If he was in an institution, he might appear only with initials although I don't think they bothered concealing the identities of children in the workhouse etc.
OC
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I have a similar case in my family - my GGM had an illegitimate son who was registered under her maiden name of Johnson. When she married my GGF the following year he took her married name (Brown) which was how he appeared in censuses. However he was baptised when he was 8, and a fictitious father was made up for him on the baptism record. Once he left home he reverted to his original name of Johnson, and used that from then on. This also took a lot of working out and going through lots of different births to rule out the false ones. So it is quite likely that Frederick could have been known by a different name all through childhood.Linda
My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955
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Originally posted by ozgirl View PostI have a similar case in my family - my GGM had an illegitimate son who was registered under her maiden name of Johnson. When she married my GGF the following year he took her married name (Brown) which was how he appeared in censuses. However he was baptised when he was 8, and a fictitious father was made up for him on the baptism record. Once he left home he reverted to his original name of Johnson, and used that from then on. This also took a lot of working out and going through lots of different births to rule out the false ones. So it is quite likely that Frederick could have been known by a different name all through childhood.
I’m still reasonably convinced by his birth certificate so I think I feel I should be working to the assumption he was either in an institution or living under an assumed name with his mother.
Unfortunately it was his mother who is listed as the informant on the birth certificate. I’m still trawling through the address listed for clues and I’ll have a look at Portsmouth institutions for clues too.
Thanks all,
James
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