By accident or by design

[rapidh32]

I have a query regarding the parent of George Connerty born 23.06.1913 in Litherland, West Derby.
On the birth certificate Father’s details are Thomas Connerty, dock labourer and Mother is Margaret Connerty nee Ball, but Thomas Connerty died in 08.12.1911 aged 35. The informant of death is M.A.Connerty widow of deceased and the residence on birth record is the same as other children of Thomas and Margaret. I wondered if Margaret made a mistake and gave Thomas's name as her husband instead of George's father or was this a cover for the child being illegitimate, Margaret remarried in 1919. If anyone has any theories or explanation I would welcome their ideas and information.

Kind regards

rapidh32

[Lesley Robertson]

Has this come from a transcription, or the original certificate? I always start with the simplest explanation, and gradually add complications.
The most obvious possibility is a transcription error and that 13 should be a 12.
If she was trying a cover up, that’s difficult if George was born where the family was living. The neighbors would be well aware...
It would be easier for a child to grow up with the same name as his siblings... Presumably his father was not husband 2 as they would have likely married sooner - rapid remarriages were fairly common.
I’m sure that the others will come up with other ideas....

[Pam Downes]

There's two ways of looking at this.
One is that it's a deliberate cover for George being illegitimate.
But - what did the Registrar ask Margaret. Did he say 'what is the name of the father of the child? Or did he ask 'What is the name of your husband?' Followed by 'And is he still alive?'
That unfortunately you will never know.

My great-grandmother had two children after her husband died and the columns for father's name and father's occupation on both certificates have been left blank. Though the fact that the son has the second name and the daughter has the surname of the man great-granny later married gives a very good indication of who the father was.

Pam

[rapidh32]

I believe it was a cover up as the man she later married in 1919 was a man friend from about 1912 according to family recollections or gossip. As her husband died in 1911 and child was born 1913 it is possible that future spouse was child's Father. Margaret Ann connerty nee Ball's Mother Ellen had a daughter in 1893 a year before she married John Connerty, the birth records the girl was named Ellen Connerty Ball and the Father's name and surname is left blank.

[rapidh32]

It has come from the original certificate and date is 1913. Thomas & Margaret were living at 75 longfield road Litherland during 1908, they then move to 20 Alpha street Litherland where Thomas dies in 1911 and Margaret returns to 75 Longfield road where George is born in 1913 and Margaret is still there in 1919 when she remarries.

[pwholt]

My great grandmother married at 17, and within the next year she had a son and was widowed. Her next child was a daughter given mother's married surname but no father's name, and no maiden name for her. The third child was a son given the same details as the son born in wedlock; fourth child was my grandmother with no named father but a middle name which was the same as her next older brother, and that a foreign surname. My theory is that she thought it important that the son had a respectable name but not necessary for the girls.pwholt

[AntonyMMM]

The exact wording on registrations is incredibly important, so if you can clarify what is written it would help interpret.

e.g. it shouldn't say "nee Ball" for the mother's name - it should say "formerly" or "late" ? ( nee means her name at birth, which isn't necessarily the same as a maiden name).

Most importantly - In the informant column, does it actually say "widow of .." That isn't something that should be included there - It should just have how the informant signed, their qualification for registering and their address (at the time of registration).

It sounds like she just registered the child as though she were still married to hide the illegitimacy, but the exact wording is needed.

[rapidh32]

Mother's name,surname and maiden name are Margaret Connerty formerly Ball and informant details are: M.A.Connerty widow of deceased present at death 20 Alpha Street, Litherland

[AntonyMMM]

It was the wording of the informant on the birth certificate I was asking about, sorry - that was my mistake.

It does sound like she was just pretending to still be a married woman if she named her husband as the father when she registered the birth in 1913, which meant that she was committing perjury. It isn't unusual for a widow to do that in these circumstances.