Illegitimate birth records
Did the Church of Scotland keep records of illegitimate births in the 1820s?
Commenti
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Illegitimate children were baptized just like any child. Another interesting type of records are Kirk Sessions. The Kirk Session in each parish would usually interrogate mothers of illegitimate children and ask of the identity of the father, before disciplining her, often using quite severe language. The reputed father, if named, would also be called before the Kirk Session and asked to deny or admit the charge. Kirk Session records can be viewed for free at ScotlandsPeople.
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Thank you for advising of the free access to Kirk Sessions records on the ScotlandsPeople website.
I have just been browsing through some of these and can confirm the minutes of parishes do indeed record interrogations of young women concerning the fathers of their illegitimate children! Also, the accounts show sums (effecitvely fines) imposed for irregular marriages - presumably levied to deter others who thought they might get away with having to pay for church proclamations!
As you probably know, coverage is very patchy and the gaps seem to occur for the very periods / in parishes where my ancestors' records would be found. Nevertheless, I will try to persevere as I'm sure something relating to my relatives will turn up sooner or later.
(See https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/virtual-volumes/volume-images/volume_data-CH2-1322-4/GAZ00982?image_number=70 and https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/virtual-volumes/volume-images/volume_data-CH2-1322-4/GAZ00982?image_number=72)
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