Hello, I wonder if you could help me shed some light on one of my ancestors who is listed as being illegitimate in the baptismal records.
My 3 x great grandmother Elizabeth Matson was baptised on 8 July 1821 at Stretton on Fosse, Warwickshire and on the records she is noted as having been illegitimate. Her mother’s name at the time of the baptism was Susannah Matson, but no prior records can be found with this name.
When Elizabeth was married in 1850 a Robert Matson, solicitor, is mentioned on the records as her father, although he is noted as being deceased (I think - I can't find the marriage certificate at the moment). No further records of this man can be found.
So did her mother marry a Matson and have Elizabeth take his name (no marriage records can be found) or was Matson her mother’s maiden name, and Robert simply a phantom designed to avoid the subject of her illegitimacy? Or was it something else entirely?
I don't have much experience with illegitimate ancestors so I wonder if there is something very obvious that I'm missing!
Thanks
My 3 x great grandmother Elizabeth Matson was baptised on 8 July 1821 at Stretton on Fosse, Warwickshire and on the records she is noted as having been illegitimate. Her mother’s name at the time of the baptism was Susannah Matson, but no prior records can be found with this name.
When Elizabeth was married in 1850 a Robert Matson, solicitor, is mentioned on the records as her father, although he is noted as being deceased (I think - I can't find the marriage certificate at the moment). No further records of this man can be found.
So did her mother marry a Matson and have Elizabeth take his name (no marriage records can be found) or was Matson her mother’s maiden name, and Robert simply a phantom designed to avoid the subject of her illegitimacy? Or was it something else entirely?
I don't have much experience with illegitimate ancestors so I wonder if there is something very obvious that I'm missing!
Thanks
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