Genealogy Chat

Hi,

I'm a new poster, but have lurked here for ages and need some help.

I'm trying to find out the identity of my Great Grandfathers parents.

His mother is the only name on the birth certificate (and I'm struggling to locate her to be honest), but his marriagae certificate gives a father who is deceased. All of the surnames match which is equally frustrating. Great Grandfather is Whatley (at birth), Mother is Whatley (on brith certificate) as is deceased father (on marriage certificate).

Was it common to use a grandfathers name on a marriage certificate if the father is unknown ? I'm clutching at straws !

Is there any other way I can go about finding confirmation of the father ?

My other problem is that there are no remaining relatives who can shed any light so it's all down to the paperwork I'm afraid !

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted :0)

Many Thanks

Kelly

Welcome to the board
Often to save face, if someone was illegitimate, they would invent a deceased father for the marriage certificate. If you would like help, post the details you do have on here and we will all try to help find them

Linda

If the mother is the only parent named on the birth cert, the child was illegitimate, and finding the father's name will be virtually impossible...........unless he was sued for maintenance.

Sadly deceased dads, often with the same first name as the groom, and usually with common jobs feature a lot for children who were illegitimate.

As Eric has suggested, there may be a bastardy bond - seeking maintenance for the child. There may be more in the parish register (priests are known to write extra bits on births, marriages and burials)

Thank you for your replies.

I have the birth certificate which shows mother as ... and I quote ... 'Rose Caroline Whatley formerly a Cook (Domestic Servant)' I have hopefully correctly taken this to mean her surname wasn't formerly Cook, but that she was formerly a cook.

My grandfather was Reginald Francis Whatley born 22nd Feb 1913. He told a story of his father dying suddenly when he was about 12 and I have found a William Whatley who died in 1944 in Alverstoke of a haemorrage of the lungs which would all tie up but I don't want to follow a line of enquiry that may not be at all connected but is purely coincidence.

How would I access the parish register to check for the bastardy bond?

I'm pretty certain that bastardy bonds weren't used in the 1900's.

Surely if his father was William Whatley, then that suggests William was married to Rose Caroline and therefore her maiden name would be recorded on the cert, which it isn't. And if he died when your gfather was c12, then that would be 1925 so surely the 1944 death is far too late?

Can you find Rose on the 1901 census?

Sam x

I have found one living on the Isle of Wight aged 19 in the 1901 Census but I recall asking my Grandfather and he was insistant that the family were not from the Island.

He also says he was raised by his grandmother who was called Ellen but I cannot find her and she is not the mother of the Rose Whatley I found on the census - very confusing ! :0)

If your grandfather reckoned that he was about 12 when his father died and if he was born in 1913 then that certainly doesn't tie in with the death you've found in 1944, does it?

No it doesn't - too early ! Sorry

It ties in with him dying in 1925 AGED 44 !!! :0)

Can you look for a baptism. Perhaps your grandfather didnt know the family were from the Island.

Relatives are not always correct as I found out looking for my grandmothers birth in Derby only to find her born in Middlesbrough. Correct parents fathers occupation

This Rose Whatley is a possiblr:

Name: Rose C Whatley
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Frederick C
Mother's Name: Emma
Gender: Female
Where born: Maddington, Wiltshire, England

Civil Parish: Figheldean
Ecclesiastical parish: Figheldean
Town: Figheldean
County/Island: Wiltshire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Amesbury
Sub registration district: Amesbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Emma Whatley 38
Frederick C Whatley 32
Rose C Whatley 4
Samuel J Whatley 6
William Whatley 10

The above is 1891 census, she is a servant on the 1901 census...

Did Rose marry after Reginald was born? Here's a possible:

Marriages Mar 1922
Banting Fred Whatley Portsmouth 2b 768
Whatley Rose C Banting Portsmouth 2b 768

Birth of Rose?

Name: Caroline Rose Whatley
Year of Registration: 1886
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Amesbury
County: Wiltshire
Volume: 5a
Page: 159

Just noticed too - if that is the right family that Sam has found, then Rose had a brother called William Whatley - of exactly the right age to tie in with the death that you found in 1925! Maybe uncle William was a surrogate father to Reginald???

Thank you so much everyone - gives me something to get my teeth into.

I'm quite keen on checking up on possible baptism as I know exactly where it would have taken place.

How do i find this ? Would I approach the church directly to ask to see their records ?

The baptism records will probably have been transferred to the Records Office.

Sam x