A bit of scandal in Little Plumstead

[Geoffers]

Most parish registers from 1813 just record the bare facts required in the tabulated layout. Everynow and then one includes additional detail. Bless his cotton socks, Mr Penrice, the Rector of Little Plumstead falls into that category in the mid-19th century.

He notes a couple of late baptisms that you'd probably never find in a month of Sundays:

24 Dec 1865 Robert son of William + Jane BENSLEY, otp, gardiner, bapt
(A note adds that he was 'aged 46 years')

29th July 1867 James son of Mark + Elizabeth MOORE, otp, gardener, bapt
(A note adds that he was 'aged 59 years')

..........But then there is the interesting bit..........

25th May 1862 Sarah Ann daughter of John + Charlotte POWLEY, bapt

A note adds, "Charlotte WEBB is not John POWLEY's lawful wife he having a wife living in America whom he has not divorced."

4th May 1867 Samuel Stone son of Caroline SHRIEVE of Thorpe, bapt

A note adds, "Caroline SHRIEVE is not STONE's lawful wife he having a wife living in Norwich whom he has not divorced."

28th June 1869 Emma and Caroline daughters of Caroline LING, bapt

A note adds, "Jemima LING is not lawful wife to Mark MOORE, being sister to his deceased wife Jane MOORE."

19th November 1870 Beatrice daughter of Maria BOUGHTON, bapt

A note adds ,"Maria BOUGHTON is not the lawful wife of Charles BOUGHTON being the widow of his deceased brother."

3rd September 1871 William Frederic son of Harriet JONES, bapt

A note adds, "Properly called WOODCOCK, her mother's maiden name."

So, anyone just relying on the IGI and other online indexes see what you might be missing - and for those looking for fathers' of illegitimate children, or trying to work out relationships, here's proof that parish registers can sometimes provide helpful gossip.

Reading the registers I get the impression of a punctilious (or just nosy) Rector and wonder how much he was appreciated by his parishioners.

[benny1982]

Hi

In Suffolk many parish registers for illegitimate children gave the mothers name and the reputed fathers name. Ie "Mary, daughter of Jane Cook and John Pipe" or "Jane daughter of Mary Smith and the reputed father Thomas Catchpole" etc.

I suppose this happened many times all over but they can be interesting to note.

[Mutley]

Oh how I would love to find a Mr. Penrice registering mine. The only rectors I have are those that turn a 'blind eye'.

This is priceless.

And Mr. Penrice's descendants should be mightily proud of him, wherever they are.

[Penny Gallo]

I found that the late 18th vicar called a spade a spade - any unmarried mother was annotated "Strumpet".

[Geoffers]

The behaviour of the inhabitants of Little Plumstead extended back into the 18th century:

4th Feb 1768 - John the base son of Eliz: BUSSEY by Willm FRANE husband to her own sister.

I've occasionally found similar references in other parishes, but it makes you wonder how many similar liaisons went without note in other parishes? Thank heavens for the nosy clerics from this period.

[susan-y]

I can't help but think of everyone who complains about the morals of people today. I think alot of them should be made to sit down and listen to their family history and the "prim and proper"might be blown out of them. I bet there isn't a family around without at least one or two gnarly branches on their tree

Sue

[HelenVSmith]

Hi Geoffers

Would you mind if I used your wonderful examples in an article I am writing for my local family history magazine?

Also the Scots are pretty good with the comments In Dundonald the minister says "not this man's son but his brother's son!"

regards
Helen

[Geoffers]

Would you mind if I used your wonderful examples in an article I am writing for my local family history magazine?

Feel free to do so; if I can remember which parish it was and I can find the entry again, I'll post the one found a couple of years back which mentions a woman giving birth to a child whose father was her deceased husband's dad - so the father and grandfather were the same chap.

There are a few more odd entries from Norfolk, that I posted a few years ago, here

[Geoffers]

I'm continuing to index the registers for Little Plumstead and have just come across yet another note by the vicar:

1882 - baptism of Annie May, daughter of Anna Maria PHILO.

A note by the entry in the register records; "Anna Maria is not the lawful wife of Robert James Philo, being the widow of his deceased brother Frank Philo."

[lindarhead]

Oh that did lighten my day, it's a brilliant post and did so make me smile.

And I so agree about the folk who frown on the morals of today..unless you've researched your family tree you ain't seen nothing!!

I'm doing some transcribing work on Staffordshire Parish records, Eccleshall in particular, but I haven't come across anything like that. There's the odd reference to a child being born of a 'reputed' father but that's about as good as it gets, I've not come across anyone annotated as a strumpet!..

Linda