Dear All I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism records, of course now I have no idea where they were! If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or anything related to the subject. Many thanks Linda

Yes, they were rather judgemental! I found one - and I'm sorry, I can't remember which register - which referred to the illegitimate child (I think the b word was used) of Britannia Butterfield described "as a most notorious whore". Of course as most people were illiterate the clergy felt free to write whatever they wanted. I another place a couple had a child baptised and the following day there was baptised a child of the father of the first child by his wife's sister. I expect he was not popular at home... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Wright via" <norfolk@rootsweb.com> To: "norfolk@rootsweb.com" <NORFOLK@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 12:11 PM Subject: [NFK] Illegitimacy comments by vicars > Dear All > > I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the > years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism > records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > > If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or > anything related to the subject. > > Many thanks > > Linda > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Middleton PRs have some crazy entries about everything- not quite sure now which years, will have a look. Rosie. On 11/05/2016 12:11, Linda Wright via wrote: > Dear All > > I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > > If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or anything related to the subject. > > Many thanks > > Linda > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

To add to the usual variations of 'illegitimate', 'base born', 'bastard' and 'natural child' I recently came across a more sympathetic expression in the Parish Registers of Lutton in Northamptonshire - the baptised baby was described as 'the chance child' of the named mother. Not Norfolk - but still on your subject. Enid ----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Wright via" <norfolk@rootsweb.com> To: "norfolk@rootsweb.com" <NORFOLK@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 12:11 PM Subject: [NFK] Illegitimacy comments by vicars > Dear All > > I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the > years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism > records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > > If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or > anything related to the subject. > > Many thanks > > Linda > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

. . . in the Parish Registers of Lutton in Northamptonshire - the baptised baby was described as 'the chance child' of the named mother. . . . Yes, Dickens uses this phrase in Oliver Twist and Jill Paton Walsh wrote a children's novel with the title "A Chance Child". -- Christopher Pipe BA DipLib MCLIP researching and indexing Norfolk history cp@wmk.demon.co.uk (and see www.cromerdictionary.co.uk)

I have referred to this before I know but here it is- Middleton near King's Lynn- Baptisms 1813-42 Wood, Peter (Scrimshire), s. Thomas, of Littleton, Middlesex, arm. Oriel Coll., matric. 29 April, 1803, aged 17; B.A. 1807, M.A. 1809, B.C.L. & D.C.L. 1817, vicar of Middleton, Norfolk, 1810, 1810, rector of Littleton, Middlesex, 1813, and dean of Middleham, Yorks, 1814, until his death 4 Feb., 1856, brother of Thomas 1796. He seems to have had a dislike of his parishioners or to have gone off his chump. His occupations descriptions include- Concubines , Old Nick, a crust burner, a chopper of chips, a whore, a whore and a man trap, fortune hunter etc. He seems to calm down by about 1825. Maybe Oriel turned out less than charitable vicars... I have an idea Saham Toney had one similarly judgemental. Rosie On 11/05/2016 12:11, Linda Wright via wrote: > Dear All > > I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > > If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or anything related to the subject. > > Many thanks > > Linda > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

On 11 May 2016 1:11 PM, Linda Wright via wrote: > I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. Over the > years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar in the baptism > records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > > If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great or > anything related to the subject. On FreeREG, In the Norfolk parish of Great Massingham, look up the names George BEALES and Mary FISHER for the period 1795 - 1800. -- Regards, Mike Fry Johannesburg -- Regards, Mike Fry Johannesburg

Hi Linda, I have done quite a bit of Scottish research, a well used statement by the local Vicar re illetimite children is 'Beggoten in Fornication'. One from English records is more gentle 'natural child', I hope this helps with you talk, happy hunting, Annette WATSON Lismore 2480 Australia At 09:11 PM 11/05/2016, you wrote: >Dear All > >I am giving a talk to my local history group about illegitimacy. >Over the years I have come across some pithy comments by the vicar >in the baptism records, of course now I have no idea where they were! > >If anyone can share comments that vicars have made it would be great >or anything related to the subject. > >Many thanks > >Linda > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message