Edith Elizabeth was born in 1887 in Gateshead. She worked in Moores hat factory and in 1910 she had a child out of wedlock, Ethel Fraser, my grandmother. Ethel was born in January 1910 and on 2nd April 1910, Edith married John Jones, son of Thomas Jones and Catherine Margerson. John was a labourer and seemed unable to provide for his wife and child, because in the 1911 census Edith is living with her sister Mary Emma Hallows. There is no sign of John but Edith is down as being married.
My grandmother was born in the old workhouse, in Ashton Under Lyne, which had turned into a hospital. I know of no reason why she could not return home other than disgrace.
My family member tells me that her husband talked about my grandmother and her mother living with them when he was a child. Edith had 5 or so children, and although I know of one other sister or half sister, I have heard of others but can find no evidence.
In May 1919 Edith Elizabeth died from pureperal fever after the birth of a baby. She died in Monsul Hospital, Prestwhich, Manchester. Edith had 5 children (unsure) who were sent to live with other members of the family.
This is speculative but I understand that the baby was adopted by the Robinson family who ran a brewery in Stockport. My grandmother, Ethel, went to live with her name sake, her Aunt Ethel and her husband James Edison Stafford. I will deal with this family later.
Ediths' body was identified by her father, William Jackson Fraser, and although she is still the wife of John Jones, William buried her in the family grave. I have a lot more questions about Edith and although my family member has been able to answer some questions, there are still more to be answered. I have no idea what happend to John Jones but I think he may have died in 1922.
I will deal with the children at a later date.
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I never realised iligitemacy was so widespread back then but it seems quite common, even if the child's parents do marry later.When the parents did marry after the child was born illigitmately did the child take the father's name or keep the mother's name?
ReplyDeleteThe children were baptised with their mothers maiden name and on the baptism it had Bastard. Awful, but that was what it was like. Even if the parents married and there was money the illegitimate child had no legal rights as an heir. Money would have to be left to them and the father rarely acknowledged them as their child. You could call yourself anything but your birth certificate could not be changed except with adoption. A terrible time for a child.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that stigma has been lost over the years the, so that explains why you can find birth certificates through the mothers name then rather than the fathers. Interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteAncestry are doing a project asking people to collaite information onto a database. Really interesting work.
ReplyDelete