how do I find the father?

[VictoriaB]

I have a William Boyd, born 5 Dec 1875 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to mother Rachel Boyd. The father was not recorded on his birth cert.

Later on in life, he was known as William Muir Boyd, giving a possible clue to the surname of his father.

Would the local parish have kept records of illegitimate births? Is there any other way of solving this mystery?

thanks!

[LynA]

Sometimes in earlier baptisms in England the Minister might note the name of the father. Unfortunately, I don't know what the practice in Scotland was. However, it might be worth getting a copy of the baptism record just in case.
Good luck,
Lynda :)

[Peter Goodey]

I'm afraid I know nothing about Scottish research but as generalisations I'd suggest -

1. Check any poor law involvement - tha authorities would have an obvious interest.

2. Check court records for any order concerning maintenance.

[joette]

Was there any RCE(it appears on the left-hand side of a certificate in the margin)?This would cost you another two credits to look at on ScotlandsPeople.
Under Scottish Law if the parents were free to marry at the time the child was concevied eg neither were married or under age then a subsuquent marriage legitimised the child.
The Mother may also have taken the Father to Court(started of in the Church but later came under Law) & often a proof of paternity is granted.This would also be noted in the RCE.
Often in these cases but not 100% the RCE(Record of corrected Entry) is made on the original register.
My Great-Grandparents had their first child a year before marriage.He was named Alexander Scott Young.He later dropped the Young.I know there is no RCE on his birth-around the same time as you are looking but on his death certificate it states Mother -Christina Taylor Young subsuquently married to William Scott.I am off little doubt he was William's child.

[VictoriaB]

I've since discovered from a cousin that William Boyd's father did indeed have the surname Muir. Not only that, he was also a rope-maker. So after looking up the 1871 Scotland census (4 years before William was born) I found a couple of possible matches for a male Muir, with occupation rope maker (or rope-maker).

There is a George Muir, b.1846 Glasgow, but was married at the time (1871) to Sarah Muir nee Little. They were living at 145 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow.

There is also a possibility of Henry Muir, but he was born 1860 which would have made him a rather young 15 yo to be fathering a child (perhaps a reason not to marry though?). But then, Rachel was only 16. Henry lived at 13 Baird Street, Glasgow Park.

William Boyd's mother Rachel Boyd was living at 258 Bath Street in the reg district of Blythswood and civil parish of Glasgow Barony. She was a domestic servant (or dairy maid). Rachel was born 1859 and emigrated in 1878, leaving her 2 and a half year old son with his grandmother.

My question is...
Where can I find out where the three addresses were located?
145 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow (George Muir)
13 Baird Street, Glasgow Park (Henry Muir)
258 Bath Street, Glasgow (Rachel Boyd)

Of course, I realise at the end of the day this may just all be putting 1 and 1 together and making 3. The mystery Mr Muir may not have even been a rope-maker until after 1871. But I'd like to exhaust every possibility before this is shelved in the 'impossible' basket.

[apehangmom]

Hey here is an idea.. can you see if the dad is listed on the mans death certificate.. I know that its probably somethign you allready did.. But if you havent it might be worth a try.. thanks chris

[v.wells]

To find addresses try google maps.

[jane.harrison.9]

I looked on google earth.
Dalmarnock Rd
Baird St
Bath St
All come up. There is now a Dalmarnock Rd & Old Dalmarnock Road
Baird Street now looks like there is an industrial estate there.
Distance Dalmornock Rd to Baird St approx 3mile
Baird St to Bath St approx 1mile
Dalmarnock Rd to Bath St approx 3mile

[VictoriaB]

Thank you for your help. I have already order William Boyd's death cert but I doubt it will say anything - worth a try though! The fact that Rachel was his mother was a secret and he was raised by his grandmother. Rachel married 1879 in NZ (4 years after William's birth) and her husband did not know William was her son until after Rachel's death. William came to NZ in 1883 with his grandmother.
My hunch is that the young Henry Muir may be the responsible chap - he may have emigrated himself as he doesn't appear on the 1881-1901 censuses. The older chap George Muir appears with his wife and children in the next three censuses. I think perhaps the most likely scenario is the two youngsters paired up, rather than the possibility of Rachel with the older married man. Either is possible I suppose.
Thanks for looking up those streets as well - looks like Rachel and Henry were also living 1m apart in 1871... ?

[yorkshirecath]

Do you have a marriage cert for William??

[VictoriaB]

Thank you Yorkshirecath - and guess what? William's father WAS on his marriage cert! It wasn't on his death cert, which had very little info and some of it inaccurate. But his marriage cert names his father as Robert Muir, farmer. I never thought to order it, as I had been told the identity of his real mother Rachel was not known until after she died. And now I see that his half brother Robert Boyd Wilson was a witness at his wedding and signed the marriage cert.

So now, I have no idea where to go next. I've looked at the 1871 Scotland census, and there are too many Robert Muir's who could be possibilities. There is one Robert Muir, who was living at 3 Catherine Lane, in Glasgow Barony, and who was born in Cambuslang (as William's mother Rachel was - they were living 2.9m away from each other when they were young). But hunches can be wrong, as my previous messages show.

Any tips from the wise and experienced?

thanks everyone for your help.

[VictoriaB]

Does anyone know where I might find if the young chap Robert Muir had to pay maintenence to the parish for the upkeep of his illegitimate child? I've had some success with A2A in England. What is the Scottish equivalent? I can't quite tell from the National Archives of Scotland website if this is something they may hold.