What is the best way to go about researching one's illegitimate ancestors?

Question

What is the best way to go about researching one's illegitimate ancestors? I'm not looking for links to Familysearch.org or vague replies about genealogy in general. I'm looking for specific advice on researching illegitimate ancestors.

I'm descended from Thomas Bridgwater, b.c. 1823, baptized on the 14th of January 1826 in Stoke, St. Milborough, Shropshire, England. His mother, Hannah Bridgwater (also spelled Bridgwaters), was herself christened on the 13th of August 1806 in Stoke Saint Milborough, the daughter of Edward Bridgwaters (c. 1770-1837) and Elizabeth Edwards (c. 1769-1815). She was one of at least five children: Richard (c. 1803-1833), Martha (c. 1804-1816), Hannah (b. 1806), James (c. 1808-1825) and Richard (b. 1808). Hannah had at least one other bastard son in Stoke, named William, who was christened in 1828.

Could someone please give me some clear advice on what steps I should take in order to discover the identity of the father of Thomas Bridgwater?

One person said there is no way to know, and asked how many times I'm going to ask this question. First of all, it is possible to find this information. Secondly, this is the first time that I have asked for advice on finding illegitimate ancestors in general. I'm asking about "how" I should go about it. My previous questions were similar, but they are asking for different information.

Answer 1

There are bastardy records, which record the fact that a baby was born to an unmarried mother. Sometimes, if the priest/vicar was able to pressure the father into it, his name is also recorded there, but it's very hit or miss. Look for
* Bastardy bonds
* Bastardy examination
* Bastardy orders
* Bastardy warrants
* Warrants for apprehension of putative fathers

www.shropshire.gov.uk/archives might have a section on bastardy documents.

It just occurred to me that writing to the Bishop (or whatever high level churchman they have there!) and enquiring as to the location of the various types of bastardy record kept by his parishes might be a good idea? WhenI did my archaeology degree in York, we spent some time learning how to use the archives stored in the city, and I found a whole swathe of bastardy records - they were so interesting they kept me off my real project! But the point is that they will be kept somewhere - either in a municipal archive or a church archive.

Answer 2

What you are after are Bastardy Bonds or Examinations, which would have been the responsibility of the local parish overseers under the old Poor Law system. It was quite usual that any mother of an illegitimate child be forced by the parish to name a punitive father so that the overseers could chase him for maintenance rather than have the child supported by parish funds and be a burden on the taxpayers.

The survival rate of such records though is pretty patchy. Natural disasters such as fires and floods may have gotten in the way down the years, or the records may simply not have been kept. Where they are kept, they live with the other parish records at the appropriate County Record Office, which in your case will be in Shropshire. Before making any trip, I would advise you google their website and email the archivist and ask whether the Bastardy records for the area and years you are after actually exist. If they do then you MIGHT get lucky as the father will be named. If not, then you will probably never find the answer to your question. The only other option is to check the Petty/Quarter Sessions Court Records (which would again be local at Shropshire Record Office) and see whether a later case was ever brought to court against a possible father of an illegitimate child chasing him for unpaid maintenence and the like. These are not generally well-indexed, and a search through court records could take ages, especially if you don't know when exactly to be looking for these things. I would suggest the bastardy bond route first.

Answer 3

If you have a family history society for your area you will definitely be able to buy the appropriate records volume. I got my copy on Xmas eve, like you I have to do the same sort of research. I have found the information I needed. Give it a try you have nothing to loose and you REALLY can find these records don't let any one put you off they do exist. Good luck, ask at your local library to see if you have a local family history society.

Answer 4

As to those who ask about number of times one asks questions in genealogy search, I would suggest they look at another topic. Genealogy is a much asking, tedious process. I would suspect that ost of the people who use this blog and other tags on Y!A never look back at their questions or answers.

As I recall, the sun doesn't revolve around particular responders and if your questions are not interesting then they should not bother to respond. Good luck in your search.

Answer 5

I'm not sure about UK records, but sometimes there are Bastardy records. I have seen these in some of the English colonies (now U.S. states). Also there is a (rare) possibility that the baptism record names the father. Try getting a copy of the baptismal record itself.
Then there is DNA testing. Check out www.familytreedna.com

Answer 6

There is no way of finding this out, unless you have papers/letters in your family relating to it.

If your Hannah was a domestic servant you might take a guess that the father was her employer or her employer's son, but you'll not be able to prove it.

Answer 7

It really is very difficult, because bastards' birth certs usually record the father as "unknown". I have tried the records suggested above, but with no success. They look like your only source though.

Answer 8

Go to Ancestry.com, pay for Premium Plan.
Go into the name of the mother-then look for
Bastardy Bonds. This will tell you if she sued
the father for identity.

Answer 9

Go back t the towns where your parents and grand parents came from, and wander about shouting "who's a baster then".

Answer 10

no one knows, how many times are you going to ask this question