Illegitimate children - support

[Guest Billybobs]

My Dad was illegitimate, born 1915, not unusually his father is not named on the birth certificate. Dad's mother died when he was young and was brought up by his mothers sister, from what I have learnt she did receive an income to cover his upbringing. That income it appears came from his father, at the age of 14 it came to an abrupt end. I would add that my Dad could not recall ever seeing his father.

In recent years I have carried out considerable amount of research on the gentleman and quite confident he would not have 'paid out' unless he was forced to do so. I can only conclude it would have been as a result of a court order, however I'm having difficulty in finding out what the legal system allowed at the time and also if I can access such information.

Whilst it may not have any bearing, I have found out that his father joined the 7th Border Regiment shortly after his mother became pregnant

Help please

[jon_armstrong]

One of the men I've been researching joined the Cheshires in (from memory) 1907 shortly after getting one of his neighbours pregnant. His papers survived and show the authorities caught up with him and he had to pay support for the child. I'll dig out the details of how and how much later. Later, when he was appointed corporal, they increased the amount he had to pay.

[MaureenE]

Billybobs, I have not searched for this type of record myself, however the following links to genealogy Forum threads appear to indicate that court records for UK court orders for maintenance may be available at the local Archives/Record Office for the area where the mother was residing.

The third link indicates that one searcher found a mention of an illegitimate daughter in the WW1 service record of the father. If the father was a soldier the maintenance was taken from the soldier’s pay.

http://www.genesreunited.com.au/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1258094

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=687435.0

http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php/56542-soldiers-records-and-illegitimate-children?p=373674

This link should enable the relevant Archive/Record Office to be located, assuming it is known where the mother was residing.

http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/default.htm

Cheers

Maureen

[jon_armstrong]

Okay I've dug out the information for the man I researched.

There is a document in his service papers titled "Order for Stoppages of Pay under Section 145 of the Army Act" and the form is Army Form B. 282.

It sets out that his pay will be stopped by 3d per day for the support of the child, and if he attains the rank of serjeant this will increase to 6d. It says the order was obtained from the magistrate court at Wilmslow (the nearest town to where the woman with the baby lived), and is until the child is 16 years old or dies. The order from the magistrate was for 2s 6d per week (which is slightly confusing as the 3d per day stopped by the army would not satisfy this), as well as costs against him of £2 10s 6d.

There is a further copy of the form from a few years later in his file, which raises the payment to 4d per day (and 7d if serjeant), but does not give any reason why.

[centurion]

They had inflation in those days too as well as cost of living rises.

[Guest Billybobs]

Many thanks to you all. I think I had got to the point where I could not see the wood for the trees. I will follow up and see what I can unearth.

I'm fairly confident that the court hearing would have been in Ipswich...so at least I have somewhere tangible to start