I realise that this probably isn’t the right list as this is a question about interpreting a birth certificate, but it’s related to a Hampshire birth and I’m hoping that someone might be able to either help me or point me in the right direction. According to the 1881 and 1891 censuses, Lydia is the daughter of John Madagascar and Sarah Quinn. However, the birth certificate tells me otherwise. I can’t attach it as an image so I’ve transcribed the columns below. 1879 birth in the sub-district of Southampton in the County of the same Town 1 Where and when born – 4th January 1879, 52 Northam Street 2 Name – Lydia 3 Sex – Girl 4 Name and surname of father – [Nathaniel Quinn - crossed out] (8) 5 Name, surname and maiden name of mother – Amy Quinn [formerly – crossed out] (9) a Tailoress 6 occupation of father – blank 7 Signature, description and residence of informant – Sarah Quinn present at the birth 52 Northam Street, Southampton The words ‘Eight M’ and ‘Nine M’ are written to the left of the first column. I've never seen this before and haven't got a clue what it means. Presumably they relate to the bracketed 8 and 9 in columns 4 and 5. My first thought was that a mistake had been made on the certificate for another birth - can they void a line in the register or does every line number have to be accounted for and used? Alternatively, could Amy have changed her mind about putting a father's name on the certificate for any reason? I'm not aware as yet of any male Quinn relatives with the name Nathaniel. Could Amy have given a boyfriend's name as if they were married? Her eventual husband's name is Albert James Haysom. Sorry - loads of queries and possibilities! Grateful for anyone's help and advice. Jo Take a look at my family history: www.users.waitrose.com/~jonewman -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.6/709 - Release Date: 03/03/2007 08:12 BullGuard Anti-virus has scanned this e-mail and found it clean. Try BullGuard for free: www.bullguard.com

Is it possible that Sarah is Amy's mother or sister? If so she may have later adopted Lydia as her own daughter. I have seen examples of illegitimate grandchildren being shown as daughters of the head of household on censuses. Regards, Lynda ----- Original Message ----- > I realise that this probably isn’t the right list as this is a question > about interpreting a birth certificate, but it’s related to a Hampshire > birth and I’m hoping that someone might be able to either help me or point > me in the right direction. > > According to the 1881 and 1891 censuses, Lydia is the daughter of John > Madagascar and Sarah Quinn. However, the birth certificate tells me > otherwise. I can’t attach it as an image so I’ve transcribed the columns > below. > > 1879 birth in the sub-district of Southampton in the County of the same Town > 1 Where and when born – 4th January 1879, 52 Northam Street > 2 Name – Lydia > 3 Sex – Girl > 4 Name and surname of father – [Nathaniel Quinn - crossed out] (8) > 5 Name, surname and maiden name of mother – Amy Quinn [formerly – crossed > out] (9) a Tailoress > 6 occupation of father – blank > 7 Signature, description and residence of informant – Sarah Quinn present at > the birth 52 Northam Street, Southampton > > The words ‘Eight M’ and ‘Nine M’ are written to the left of the first > column. I've never seen this before and haven't got a clue what it means. > Presumably they relate to the bracketed 8 and 9 in columns 4 and 5. > > My first thought was that a mistake had been made on the certificate for > another birth - can they void a line in the register or does every line > number have to be accounted for and used? > > Alternatively, could Amy have changed her mind about putting a father's name > on the certificate for any reason? I'm not aware as yet of any male Quinn > relatives with the name Nathaniel. Could Amy have given a boyfriend's name > as if they were married? Her eventual husband's name is Albert James > Haysom. > > Sorry - loads of queries and possibilities! > > Grateful for anyone's help and advice. > > > Jo

Hi Jo, It was illegal for the father of an illegitimate child to be named on a birth certificate unless he was present at the registration. In this instance I suspect that Sarah was asked the name of the father without realising this requirement and before the registrar had already written the name in the appropriate column. He was legally obliged to delete the name as soon as he realised the error, making a note in the margin that he had altered it. (This obviously stopped any possible later forgeries) This mistake, crossing out and correction would always be carried over on to any copies made in the future. It was fairly common for an illegitimate child of the daughter of a household to be raised by the grandparents, and I suspect that Sarah Quinn was in fact Amy's mother, I have seen instances where a grandchild in these circumstances is listed as a son/daughter on a census when in fact they are a grandson/granddaughter. I would say that you have the correct birth certificate and that Amy's father was a Nathaniel, although his surname is unknown. Hope this helps Sandra Jo wrote: >I realise that this probably isn’t the right list as this is a question >about interpreting a birth certificate, but it’s related to a Hampshire >birth and I’m hoping that someone might be able to either help me or point >me in the right direction. > >According to the 1881 and 1891 censuses, Lydia is the daughter of John >Madagascar and Sarah Quinn. However, the birth certificate tells me >otherwise. I can’t attach it as an image so I’ve transcribed the columns >below. > >1879 birth in the sub-district of Southampton in the County of the same Town >1 Where and when born – 4th January 1879, 52 Northam Street >2 Name – Lydia >3 Sex – Girl >4 Name and surname of father – [Nathaniel Quinn - crossed out] (8) >5 Name, surname and maiden name of mother – Amy Quinn [formerly – crossed >out] (9) a Tailoress >6 occupation of father – blank >7 Signature, description and residence of informant – Sarah Quinn present at >the birth 52 Northam Street, Southampton > >The words ‘Eight M’ and ‘Nine M’ are written to the left of the first >column. I've never seen this before and haven't got a clue what it means. >Presumably they relate to the bracketed 8 and 9 in columns 4 and 5. > >My first thought was that a mistake had been made on the certificate for >another birth - can they void a line in the register or does every line >number have to be accounted for and used? > >Alternatively, could Amy have changed her mind about putting a father's name >on the certificate for any reason? I'm not aware as yet of any male Quinn >relatives with the name Nathaniel. Could Amy have given a boyfriend's name >as if they were married? Her eventual husband's name is Albert James >Haysom. > >Sorry - loads of queries and possibilities! > >Grateful for anyone's help and advice. > > >Jo > > >Take a look at my family history: www.users.waitrose.com/~jonewman > > > >