I have a half memory that there was a law change at some point which altered the status of illegitimate children with regard to their parents' estates. If I am correct this then allowed an illegitimate child some inheritance rights where previously they had no entitlement. This a pretty vague memory I should stress. Since the term "illegitimate" was what was used until relatively recently I have difficulty in understanding why it should upset anyone now when used in that historical perspective. It is certainly very useful in a family history research context. Tom On 1 August 2013 13:03, Janet <[email protected]> wrote: > A useful document containing a little history: (Scotland) Extract from .pdf > document http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files/history.pdf > > As to the term "illegitimate" > > The use of the term "illegitimate" in column 1 of the birth and death > registers was discontinued from 1919 (Registrar General's amending > regulation > to registrars, 19 December 1918). The regulation applied not only to new > entries in the registers but also to the issuing of extracts from earlier > records which were issued without the word "illegitimate" appearing. > Registrars still kept a careful record of the numbers of illegitimate > births > in their district to include in the statistical returns submitted to the > Registrar General. > > > Janet > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

A question was raised under "Irregular marriages" about whether the description "illegitmate" was still in use on birth certificates. My reply is that over which you posted. I dont think any one of us who is legitimate can tell those otherwise how they should feel simply because we dont know how it has affected their lives. As I said earlier there are still some who choose to apply their long memories and deliver prejudice. Prejudice in itself is hurtful. We also dont necessarily know the age of the person who is perhaps mentioned in posts sent here/ It is true otherwise that the law has improved their rights. Where there have been wars there has been illegitimate births and sometimes the child wasnt told and found for themselves which is another awful situation in life. In England & Wales illegitimate, including adopted persons could inherit under the Wills of their adopted parents under the Legitimacy Act 1967. One finds the position in Scotland here http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?402 Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Graham" [email protected] > I have a half memory that there was a law change at some point which > altered the status of illegitimate children with regard to their parents' > estates. If I am correct this then allowed an illegitimate child some > inheritance rights where previously they had no entitlement. > This a pretty vague memory I should stress. > Since the term "illegitimate" was what was used until relatively recently > I have difficulty in understanding why it should upset anyone now when used > in that historical perspective. It is certainly very useful in a family > history research context. > Tom > > > On 1 August 2013 13:03, Janet <[email protected]> wrote: > >> A useful document containing a little history: (Scotland) Extract from >> .pdf >> document http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files/history.pdf >> >> As to the term "illegitimate" >> >> The use of the term "illegitimate" in column 1 of the birth and death >> registers was discontinued from 1919 (Registrar General's amending >> regulation >> to registrars, 19 December 1918). The regulation applied not only to new >> entries in the registers but also to the issuing of extracts from earlier >> records which were issued without the word "illegitimate" appearing. >> Registrars still kept a careful record of the numbers of illegitimate >> births >> in their district to include in the statistical returns submitted to the >> Registrar General. >> >> >> Janet