Hellooo!

[TraceyM]

Im new to B-G and I'm still working my way around the site. Im from Buckinghamshire and I'm tracing my paternal family tree: Maunder. The family line are from all over Bucks: Bledlow Ridge, Hughenden, Ludgershall, High Wycombe, Marlow amongst others. My grand mother was illegitimate,therefore means I cannot trace her paternal line|banghead|If anyone has any idea if there is any chance whatsoever of finding anything about her father please please pretty please help!|help|
TraceyM

[Bo Peep]

Hello Tracey,

Welcome to the madhouse, sorry I meant the forum. |wave| Do you have some specific names and dates for your queries?

[TraceyM]

Hi Bo Peep
Im impressed by the prompt reply from you, so thanks for that.
My grandmother I mentioned in my msg is Millicent Rockall. Rockall being the married name for her mother Celia. Celia was a widow from 1906 and Milly was born in 1909. I have spoken to my uncle, Milly's son, who thinks that a man called Page could possibly have been her father. I hope this could help you to answer my question. As I'm new to genealogy I havent the first idea if it is possible to find her father. So any advice you could give will be most gratefully received

[Peter Goodey]

As I'm new to genealogy I havent the first idea if it is possible to find her father. So any advice you could give will be most gratefully received

You could write a book about all the things you can try. In fact, someone has!

"My Ancestor Was a Bastard" by Ruth Paley published by the Society of Genealogists.

http://www.sog.org.uk/acatalog/My_Ancestors_Series.html

Well worth buying.

[IreneR]

Hi Tracey

The odds are 73000:1 but Ill try anyway. (Maunder site 73000 known My black sheep unknown)

William Maunder
Honiton on Otter, Devon, England 1767


Irene |banghead|

[TraceyM]

Hi Irene
Thank you for your help, however my grandmothers maiden name was Millicent Rockall, so Im sure she wont be on any Maunder lists. I fear I will be head banging forever!

[Wilkes_ml]

One idea is to have a look for her baptism. I am assuming you have a birth certificate with no father's name. If you look at the church records for the area she was born, she may have been baptised and on rare occasions a helpful vicar or curate may have thought to mention a possible father's name. This may not have happened more recently (19th and 20th centuries), or if the parish was large, but I have come across it routinely in the 18th century registers.

Also relative's wills may shed light on her father - though I, myself have not been lucky in finding information this way.

[TraceyM]

Brilliant Wilkes
Why didnt I think of that before, Doh! (:o)
thank you:o

[ChristineR]

Speak to as many elderly relatives as you can about it. Or even old neighbours who have lived in the district forever.

I am in the same boat as you with my paternal grandma. My aunt told me that she accidently found out some info - an elderly relative let slip when they were discussing old photographs - when she asked who that person was, out came ' don't you know? that's your mum's father!" That person said he was always around until gt grandma got pregnant, his family would not let them marry because they were Catholic, and our family was not.

Christine :)

[TraceyM]

More good advice, thanks christine. I have spoken to my uncle, who told me that Milly told him that when she was young she had to make a weekly trip to a local farmer called Paige who gave her some money to take to her mother. Her mother would never tell her the reason for this weekly payment! Hmmmm I wonder?? ;)