Genealogy Chat

Yesterday I received my partners grandfathers birth certificate. Child is named as William Jobson but the fathers name and occupational is crossed through with a line. Mothers name is Lilian Jobson formerly Richards. Richards is the maiden name given on 1837online under William's birth registration. If Lilian was married to a Jobson why isnt father stated? My partner nor his father knew nothing about this mystery man as apparently William would never talk about his father. I feel that there are many possibilities for this but the main ones been: She wasnt married but stated she was so child could have fathers surname. Her husband did not acknowledge the child as his and therefore fathers name was not listed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Nicky

Nicky I think your conclusions are quite logical. I guess the next step is to see if you can find a Jobson-Richards marriage. nell

Hi Helen, William was born in 1922 and I have searched from 1911 to 1922 and cannot find a marriage. Is there anyway I can find out who his father is. William's wife told us that apparently William's father died when he was at school or a teenager but still never spoke about him, even to her. William also had an elder brother, Henry, who was born in 1921 I think. I am therefore wondering whether I should order his certificate to see if that gives me anymore info. Nicky

How about if Lilian was born Richards, married Mr Jobson, then Mr Jobson died and she had an illegitimate child (William) too long after his death for him to have been the father? Just a thought!

What area were they from? This is the only marriage on FreeBMD, if it's not too early: Marriages Sep 1908 COOMBES Ellen Aston 6d 358 JOBSON David Aston 6d 358 LYONS Edward Aston 6d 358 PHILLIPS Louisa Jane Aston 6d 358 RICHARDS Lillian Aston 6d 358

Hi Elizabeth, That would make sense if he (William) was born too long after Lilian's husband's death. The area of Aston which is in Birmingham fits. However, from my estimate and help from the 1901 census it would make Lilian about 15 when she married. However, I could have got this wrong. I think I need to investigate further, such as when did this David Jobson die. If I get a copy of the marry certificate it should confirm her age and occupation as I know her occupation when her son was born. Hopefully it didnt change. I cant believe I missed that record. Thanks Nicky

Nichola, Hi, Getting the brothers birth cert might help. I found the following: Henry Jobson b Aston, Jan quarter of 1921. Mothers maiden name Richards. Vol 6d pg 825. I also looked for a death up to 1921 for David Joson, I didn't find anything. Pat

Hi Pat, Yes I have Henry Jobson's birth registration. I will also send for his birth cert to see if fathers name is given on his. The family are now concerned that they may not be true JOBSON's. If I can prove that Lilian was married to David who are the same parents of Henry then a big question mark still hangs over who is William's father. Surely if David was the father even if he died before his son was born then surely fathers name would be stated but with deceased. It therefore makes them feel that the true father will never be known. True but I cant change history can I. Nicky

Nichola If I understand this right, the father's name has been crossed through on the birth certificate? If so, the man named as his father would have had to tell the Registrar that he was NOT the father. I take it the Registrar has done the crossing out and not a member of the family? As far as I understand the Law, a married man is deemed to be the father of his wife's children, unless he can PROVE that he wasn't - by incapacity or an absence of ten months! If she registered the child as a child of the marriage and then he went along later and demanded that his name be removed, there would surely have been some paperwork involved - wonder if it is worth getting in touch with the Registrar to see if there are any notes? If he was already long dead when the child was born, then she has done nothing wrong in registering the child in her married name - that is,after all, her legal name. Just a thought. Marjorie.

Hi Marjorie, There isnt an actual name under 'fathers name' that has been crossed out, the space is crossed though with a line, no details. Nicky

I am now in receipt of the marriage certificate between David Jobson and Lilian Richards in 1908. I also have the marriage certificate of William Jobson (his birth certificate born 1922 only states mother as Lilian Jobson formerly Richards, no father). William has stated his father as Harry Jobson (deceased) on the marriage certificate. I am now confused as I expected it to state no father at all or David Jobson. Some advice on this situation would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Nicky

Nicky Oh, what a tangle! Right, the lady who was mother of William was Mrs Jobson and you have the marriage cert to prove it. Mr Jobson's first name given as David. William's birth cert has no father named, implying that he was illegitimate. On his marriage cert William gives Harry Jobson as his father. My take on all this: David Jobson was not William's father, or he would have been named on the cert. So at the time William was conceived/born, David must have been dead or deserted his wife. William's father may have been Harry Jobson (and his mum told him this) but Harry Jobson did not go to the register office when William was born so he could not be entered as the father. Harry Jobson may be a relative of David's/just have the same surname by coincidence [which I think unlikely] OR he was a figment of William's imagination, made up for respectability when he married. How you find out which is what I don't know. But as William was registered as William Jobson and was known as that throughout his life, his descendants are Jobsons too (though maybe their entitlement to the name is only through William's mother's marriage, and not through Mr Jobson's genes). nell

Nicky, Did Lilian marry again or live with someone with the Christian name Harry? My gg-gm Ann WILSHERE stated at her marriage that her father was Willian WILSHERE. After a year of searching I found she was the illegitimate daughter of Louisa WILSHERE who 3 years after Ann's birth married William WARD and had more children. This was the man who raised her and whom she considered her father I presume. So when asked her father's name she probably just said William. Could something similar have happened with your family? Glen.

Nicky, How about David known as 'Harry' JOBSON dying just prior to the birth? I see this has been suggested earlier, but do you yet know when the man met his fate? Regs Jane

Could it be that, when asked for his father's name, William gave his elder brother's name in a fluster? Henry and Harry were interchangable. It might just have been the first thing that popped out of his mouth.