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Hi again everyone, Does a2a do searches for Scotland, I know they don't do Ireland as Janet already told me this . I forgot to ask her about Scotland though. Betty.

Does anyone know where I might find info out about my Grandma born 1920 she was in her words not mine!... A bastard! It doesn't give her fathers name on her birth certificate. However, she does have lofthouse as a middle name. I guess that's something to do with the fathers name. My Gran remembers as a young girl going to the town hall to collect money paid in by her father. Does anyone know how to go about finding this info. There must be a record of it somewhere. Thanks, Claire

'My dirty 3 x GGM had three illegitimate children in the early 1800s.' My dirty 4 x GGM had four... and guess what, it's my 3 x GGM who I can't find in the baptismal records! Must check the Quarter Sessions sometime to see if there's anything to enlighten me.

A2A is the national archives. Bastardy bonds seems to have disappeared in 1834 following the introduction of the poor laws.

Hi Sue, No,they didn't go as late as that. For A2A, see my earlier post . Jay

Hi All I'm a new member ,found this very interesting .Same question as Betty what is A2A? And does anyone know if these bonds would of been around in 1894? Thanks Sue

Looks like I won't be going tomorrow Joan as my daughter is over from Spain and is dragging me out for the day but possibly Friday. The clerks at the records office indicated that records were in the name of the mother as she was the one who was examined. Will let you know as soon as I have info. ( Can't believe the archives are 'out of bounds' cos of a gas leak) If they were available on film I would have got the info the other day but I have to look at the originals. Might make some notes while I am there. Doubt they will be as interesting as the quarter sessions but still good reading. Cheers Jo

Betty, a2a is access to archives. You can type in the name of a person or place, for example, and then click on search. The hits it comes up with are all the references for your entry in record offices. Alternatively, you can restrict your search to whatever listed record office you like. Just google a2a and you will be able to access the home page, then click on search. Do give it a try.it has given me all sorts of leads I would never have thought of. Jay

Hi All, Just been reading this thread and found it so interesting, never heard of this, don't know what they did in Scotland when a woman was pregnant outwith marriage. Maybe they use a shotgun!! What is A2A by the way?? Betty

Look on A2A, under the name of either mother or father, and look for Bastardy Orders - Bastardy Bonds were relatively rare in the 1800s but more common before that. A Bastardy Bond was what it said - A Bond (of money) to ensure that the father didnt disappear. He didnt actually have to hand over the money, but if he did a runner then the Bond would be forfeit. A bit like modern day Bail - someone has to prove that they have the money to cover the Bond, but dont actually hand it over till or when the person defaults. Bastardy Orders were much more common and involved a weekly payment of an agreed sum of money. There was little point in trying to get a humble ag lab to sign a Bond, unless he had a rich rellie to stand the Bond money. My dirty 3 x GGM had three illegitimate children in the early 1800s. The fathers are named and for the first child, her FATHER stood the Bond money as the father of the child was 'a poor weaver' but her father was a Farmer (so presumably had a bit put by). Her father undertook to see to the child's bodily and spiritual needs and apprentice him to a worth while trade. The second two children are the subject of Bastardy and Affiliation Orders - her father was obviously fed up with her! The second child is taken by his father and it is not obvious what happened to the third - MY Great great grandfather, naturally! There are following Removal and Settlement Orders for my 3 x GGM, one on Boxing Day! I think she must have been trying to see her second son. They are a wealth of information - oh, and all mine state the date of baptism (except my 2 x GGF, of course!) I found all mine on A2A and there was sufficient info in the 'title' of the document to tell me who they were. Olde Crone

nudging for Margaret - hope you manage to find something ...

Denise, I know there are some at my local record office for the village where I live, beacause I have just googled the name of village on a2a. It just itemised them under quarter sessions hits as bastardy recognizance, but didn't give any details of the names. In other words, I know that there are some at the CRO if I ever want to consult them. This was useful, because the parish records for my village are actually deposited at a different record office, so you need to look where legal documents are kept, rather than ecclesiatical Jay

Hi Denise At the local County Records Office, they have an index of names on these Bonds. Good luck , hope you find something! :0) Joan

Hi Netti! Oh that looks promising!!! Thanks, that may solve some brickwalls for me! Fingers crossed for Monday then ! Ta ! :0) Joan

How does one find these? Are they listed with parish records or elsewhere? Thanks, Denise

Hi Joan I looked at a few today. They were on microfilm for a parish I was looking at (don't think many are filmed) They were in date order, not alphabetical. Mostly the mother was mentioned has having 'a child upon her body, a bastard child' Then it detailed the man who she claimed was the father. It gave parishes for each. Sometimes the mother was x months into her confinement and others said child delivered x days ago. hope it helps netti

Ok Thanks everyone ! :0) Joan

Hi Joan, I think Janet is right , according to the site I looked at ,it states Bastardy Bonds and certificates of settlement relating to the parish....whichever parish is applicable I should think. Regards Vera

Joan, Can't remember how they are catalogued - often in bundles by parish, I think. The ones I looked at (and it was a long time ago) had a date and both the man and the woman were named, and parish, but the child's name was not given - presumably the order was made before the confinement? Sorry I can't remember more. Jay

Does that mean I should look for the bond in the father's name, the woman's or the childs then ?? Thanks Joan