Illegitimate or Not?

[Kerrywood]

No birth certificate for her and haven't found her after 1881. Full name was Annie Clara Fielding.

Births
Sep Qtr 1875
Fielding Annie Clara
Marylebone vol 1a page 526

This Annie was born in the Marylebone workhouse 5 Sep 1875, and baptised at St Marylebone parish church on 21 Sep 1875, mother Ellen, no father named in the baptism register. So a different workhouse from your candidate for George.

Perhaps this is Annie in 1891 in Wolverton, about 10 miles from Potterspury ...

1891 census (record held by TNA, Crown copyright)
RG12/1190 folio 93 pages 31-32
20 Bedford Street, Wolverton, Bucks
William Fessey Head M 44 R(ailwa)y Coach Fitter born Warwicksh Middle Tysoe
Mary A Fessey Wife M 42 born Warwicksh Leamington
Elizabeth H. Fessey Daur S 20 Book binder born Warwicksh Leamington
John N. Fessey Son S 19 Blacksmith born Staffs Walsall
Kate P. Fessey Daur 12 Scholar born Notts Newark
Joseph B. Fessey Son 10 Scholar born Warwick Leamington
Thomas H. Fessey Son 8 Scholar born Warwick Leamington
Emily Fessey Daur 6 Scholar born Bucks Stony Stratford
Annie Fielding Adopted Daur 16 Domestic Servant born Not Known

Does this help at all? Can you find a marriage for this Annie? It might be interesting to see whether she states a father.

As for George, I still think the Holborn Board of Guardians records is the way to go.

[RobinC]

This could be Annie's marriage:

Marriages Sep 1901
Fielding Annie Potterspury 3b 64
Ratcliffe William Walter Potterspury 3b 64

This could be Annie in 1901 living at Watford:

Henry A Runyard 34
Katherine Runyard 34
Laura R G Millyard 14
Annie Fielding 22 servant / domestic cook born Paulerspury
Edith B Milkins 20
Harold J Ruddle 16
Hepburn C Ruddle 13

Class: RG13; Piece: 1316; Folio: 143; Page: 23

Census reference copyright of TNA

[RobinC]

And William in 1901, also living in Watford:

Henry Bates 38
Matilda Bates 39
Thomas Rollings 14
Harry Richards 22
William Ratcliffe 22 boarder / railway labourer born Potterspury
Julia Bishop 23

Class: RG13; Piece: 1316; Folio: 99; Page: 34

Census reference copyright of TNA

[Kerrywood]

This could be Annie's marriage:
Marriages Sep 1901
Fielding Annie Potterspury 3b 64
Ratcliffe William Walter Potterspury 3b 64

Could be.

But given the above Annie's age and place of birth in 1901 and (particularly) 1911, she may be this person ....

Births
Dec Qtr 1879
FIELDING Ann
Potterspury vol 3b page 28

A possible candidate for this Ann FIELDING is found in Potterspury in 1881, as Annie, aged one and a half, daughter of Thomas FIELDING and Elizabeth.
RG11/1537 folio 113 page 43 (record held by TNA, Crown copyright)

Just one to bear in mind, because even if it is a different person there could be a family connection here.

[Colin Rowledge]

I am back to this well-worn chestnut.

I am satisfied that the George Fielding - illegitimate son of Margaret Fielding and Annie Clara Fielding - illegitimate daughter of Ellen Fielding were cousins

The mother of each was a Servant and [I think - sisters] but I cannot find either in the 1871 census prior to the births of the 2 children to determine where they were at that time, their respective ages etc.

The 2 kids were boarders in 1881 in Northants - a fair distance from where they were baptised. Why and how did they get there?

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

Births
Sep Qtr 1875
Fielding Annie Clara
Marylebone vol 1a page 526

This Annie was born in the Marylebone workhouse 5 Sep 1875, and baptised at St Marylebone parish church on 21 Sep 1875, mother Ellen, no father named in the baptism register. So a different workhouse from your candidate for George.

Perhaps this is Annie in 1891 in Wolverton, about 10 miles from Potterspury ...

1891 census (record held by TNA, Crown copyright)
RG12/1190 folio 93 pages 31-32
20 Bedford Street, Wolverton, Bucks
William Fessey Head M 44 R(ailwa)y Coach Fitter born Warwicksh Middle Tysoe
Mary A Fessey Wife M 42 born Warwicksh Leamington
Elizabeth H. Fessey Daur S 20 Book binder born Warwicksh Leamington
John N. Fessey Son S 19 Blacksmith born Staffs Walsall
Kate P. Fessey Daur 12 Scholar born Notts Newark
Joseph B. Fessey Son 10 Scholar born Warwick Leamington
Thomas H. Fessey Son 8 Scholar born Warwick Leamington
Emily Fessey Daur 6 Scholar born Bucks Stony Stratford
Annie Fielding Adopted Daur 16 Domestic Servant born Not Known

Does this help at all? Can you find a marriage for this Annie? It might be interesting to see whether she states a father.

As for George, I still think the Holborn Board of Guardians records is the way to go.

As you may recall - back in March 2011, when this reply came forth, I was not in the best of shape and so I missed it entirely.

I really do like this one for Annie and as well, George [her probable cousin] was living as a Lodger with the Dumbleton family in Passenham which is also not that far from where Annie was living as the adopted daughter of the Fessy family. George was working as an Agricultural Labourer at this time.

As for the Board of Guardians records are these on line anywhere?

I have discounted the marriage details below reported by Robin C as I believe this marriage was for an Annie Florence Fielding.

Colin

[Peter Goodey]

Why and how did they get there?

The obvious assumption is that they were boarded out by the Poor Law authorities. It was thought that a location away from the inner city and attendance at a normal school would be better for the children (and probably cheaper for the Guardians). Check the Poor Law records for registers of children boarded out.

Do you know which Union would have been responsible for them? Presumably not Potterspury? It's not impossible (but probably not very likely) that there could be some additional records with the Potterspury Union if they acted as local agents.

[Colin Rowledge]

The obvious assumption is that they were boarded out by the Poor Law authorities. It was thought that a location away from the inner city and attendance at a normal school would be better for the children (and probably cheaper for the Guardians). Check the Poor Law records for registers of children boarded out.

Do you know which Union would have been responsible for them? Presumably not Potterspury? It's not impossible (but probably not very likely) that there could be some additional records with the Potterspury Union if they acted as local agents.

Hi Peter. Your assumption seems logical. George was born in late March 1873 and baptised 15 April 1873. The parish was Holborn St. Giles & St. George, Middlesex. Annie Clara was born 5 September 1875 and baptised 21 September 1875. The parish was St. Marylebone, London.

I know nothing at all about the mother of each child - which is why I started a new thread.

Seeing as both children were boarded together in Potterspury, is it possible that both were under the same authority at the time of boarding? If not, then it seems too much of coincidence to be otherwise.

How do I access these records on line?

Colin

[Sue Mackay]

Colin appears to have started a new thread on George and Annie Fielding here

[Colin Rowledge]

Colin appears to have started a new thread on George and Annie Fielding here

Not so much a new thread for George and Annie but on the mother of George [Margaret] and Annie {Ellen].

Colin