Illegitimacy in Scotland - advice needed

[steiner]

I have a female ancestor who married - had two children - then ran off with another man in the 1890's.

The daughter had an illegitimate baby in 1909 - father not recorded on the birth certificate. In the 1911 census the child, daughter and her brother are living with the female ancestor and the new man. In the census the child, and daughter for that matter, are recorded as the child of the new man and the female ancestor - child's granny. Could this be true or is it likely to be an attempt to cover shame etc?

I am trying to find the child's father but there is nobody left alive who knows his name. It is not on the daughter's or child's subsequent marriage or death certificates or any documents for that matter. Any advice about where to look for his name - or is there no chance of finding out?

thanks in advance - for any suggestions or comments -

regards

Drew

[LesleyB]

Hi Drew

I think the family group as seen in a census would just "conform" to what was the norm - they were operating as a family unit, so I doubt they would wish to make things more complicated for themselves and the enumerator (or draw attention to something which may have caused a bit of scandal and gossip locally)

Any advice about where to look for his name - or is there no chance of finding out?

Unless there was some court case or other mention in family papers, letters, or there is some clue in the child's name then I think the chances are slim that you would find the name of the father now that there is no one alive who may have known. For the father to be named on the birth entry he would have to have been there at the time the event was registered.

Best wishes
Lesley

[steiner]

Thanks Lesley.

I agree with all you say in your comments. I keep thinking I've missed something. Sadly, there are no letters or any documents at all to check.