Genealogy Chat

Hi can anyone please advise regarding a possible illegitimate birth where the child did not survive. Mother subsequently married and husband may have been the father. I would rather not give names at present as this is a sensitive subject for the family concerned. I hope this makes sense.

Many thanks

Gill

A child born with the same surname as the mothers maiden name is often a marker it was an out of wed lock birth,

if it was a still birth or died instanly at birth there will be no usual birth or death registration.

If you think it might have been a still birth, this thread might be of use:

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1334592

Stillbirths have been registered from 1927 in England and Wales, but the register is closed, so no public index.

First step is to look at freebmd

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

If the child took one independent breath, there should be a birth registration, and a death.

The father would not be named unless he registered the birth - or was present when it was registered - and confirmed that he was the father.

Unless the child was baptised before it died and the mother named the father on the baptism certificate then I don't think you will ever know whether or not the subsequent husband was the father.

Kath. x

https://www.gov.uk/register-stillbirth

"Who can register the stillbirth

If the baby’s parents are married, either the mother or father can register.

The mother can sign if:

the baby’s parents are not married
the father cannot be traced or is unknown

If both parents want the father’s name in the register:

both parents can sign the register together
the mother can sign and bring a ‘signed declaration’ from the father (the register office can explain how to do this).

If the father registers the stillbirth and the parents are not married, the mother will need to make a ‘signed declaration’ (the register office can explain how to do this)."

Thanks very much for the very helpful replies. I will check them out.

Gill x