Illegitimacy

A Magdalen Laundry

Image in the public domain, accessed via Wikimedia Commons

Illegitimacy impacted on the lives of many of the women and girls whose stories we tell. Either they themselves were illegitimate, or they gave birth to illegitimate children, or both. You can access the stories by clicking on the women's names below.

Here are some resources that may help with this topic:

Laslett, P, Oosterveen & Smith, R M Bastardy and its comparative history Edward Arnold (1980)

Levene, Alysa Childcare, Health and Mortality at the London foundling Hospital, 1741-1800: left to the mercy of the world Manchester University Press (2007)

McClure, Ruth K Coram's Children: The London Foundling Hospital in the Eighteenth Century Yale University Press (1981)

Paley, Ruth My Ancestor Was a Bastard: a family historian’s guide to sources for illegitimacy in England and Wales Society of Genealogists (2011)

Children’s Homes

Lucy Adderley 1874-1922, from Gnosall, Staffordshire - Illegitimacy, Infanticide, Lawbreaking, Murder, Prostitution, Homes for Fallen Women (Staffordshire). 16 minute read. Please note that this story contains an account of infant death in tragic circumstances. A podcast version of this story is available on this page.

Mary Jane Astley, later Mary Jane Dix 1873-1966, from Stafford, Staffordshire – Illegitimacy, Refuges for Fallen Women (Staffordshire). 9 minute read.

Emily Barrett c.1855-?, from Righton, Yorkshire - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 7 minute read.

Rachel Bates 1868-1918, from Mullaghbrack, Co. Armagh - Emigration, Illegitimacy, Mental Health, Women at Work, Linen Industry. 8 minute read.

Mary Ann Bennett c.1868-?, from Worcester, Worcestershire - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Prostitution, Farmfield Reformatory for Inebriate Women. 8 minute read.

Maria Bindon, later Maria Tylee 1835-1884, from Bathampton, Somerset - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Murder, No Descendants, Prostitution. 4 minute read.

Honor Bunn, later Honor Poll 1819-1865, from Wymondham, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, 1819. 6 minute read.

Phoebe Bunn 1838-?, from Wymondham, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, Murder, Women at Work. 6 minute read.

Hannah Carter 1826-?, from Great Ellingham, Norfolk – Illegitimacy. 7 minute read.

Elizabeth Chiddicks aka Chitticks 1885-1901, from Barking, Essex – Accident, Illegitimacy. Warning this story contains a description of death by injury. 7 minute read.

Mary Chidley c.1819-1882, from Tawstock, Devon – Disability, Illegitimacy, Poverty, Schools for the Deaf (Exeter), 1819. 8 minute read.

Rebecca Cotton c.1765-1797, from Mottistone, Isle of Wight – Illegitimacy, No Descendants. 14 minute read.

Susannah Metcalf Curl, later Susannah Metcalf Starling 1819-1848, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Accident, Illegitimacy, Sickness, 1819. 5 minute read.

Julia Denbeigh 1848-1935, from Shaftesbury, Dorset – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Women at Work, Dorchester Prison. 9 minute read. Warning this story contains an account of an unpleasant concealment of birth.

Frances Elizabeth [Fanny] Derham aka Frances Elizabeth Kent, Later Frances Elizabeth Down 1829-1908, from Morden, Dorset – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Dorchester Prison. 13 minute read.

Mary Edge 1819-?, from Wem, Shropshire - Illegitimacy, 1819. 2 minute read.

Jane Northrop Fallon 1863-?, from Leeds, Yorkshire - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Prostitution, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 8 minute read.

Emma Fletcher, later Emma Simkinson 1856-1886, from Hunslet, Yorkshire – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 11 minute read.

Letitia Gilbert, later Letitia Cook, afterwards Letitia Fisher c.1807-1862, from Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire - Illegitimacy. 4 minute read.

Mary Green c.1797-1843, from Gillingham, Dorset – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Dorchester Prison. 4 minute read.

Sophia Gribble 1867-1941, from Crediton, Devon - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Refuges for Fallen Women (Exeter). 2 minute read.

Mary Ann Hall, later Mary Ann Sampher 1819-1896, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, 1819. 7 minute read.

Sarah Hargreave(s), later Sarah Corps 1857-1910, from Hunslet, Yorkshire – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 5 minute read.

Alma Octavia Hawes, later Alma Octavia Watson, then Alma Octavio Bunn 1884-1964, from Wramplingham, Norfolk – Accident, Illegitimacy, Women at Work. 7 minute read.

Mary Hinton, later Mary Harper 1819-?, from Wem, Shropshire – Illegitimacy, 1819. 6 minute read.

Mary Humphrey 1890-?, from Bronnington, Flintshire - Disability, Illegitimacy, No Descendants, Schools for the Deaf (Margate). 5 minute read.

Rebecca Jenkerson, later Rebecca Hudson, afterwards Rebecca Rix 1819-1865, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Child Mortality, Illegitimacy, Poverty, Sickness, 1819. 25 minute read.

Sarah Ann Lake, later Sarah Ann Gooch, afterwards Sarah Ann Richards 1819-1901, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, 1819. 5 minute read.

Margaret Lillie 1855-? and Mary Lillie 1859-?, from Leeds, Yorkshire - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 4 minute read.

Eliza Longster, later Eliza Booth 1856-?, from Leeds, Yorkshire – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 5 minute read.

Christina Lorenz aka Lawrence 1889-1964, from Chadderton, Lancashire - Illegitimacy, Racial Discrimination. 6 minute read.

Margaret Lynch, later Margaret Colgrove 1871-?, from Ireland – Abandonment, Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, St. Joseph’s Inebriate Reformatory. 4 minute read.

Harriet Malthouse 1856-?, from Leeds, Yorkshire – Abandonment, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Industrial School. 3 minute read.

Louisa Mason 1868-1925, from Barkingside, Essex - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Mental Health, Prostitution, Farmfield Reformatory for Inebriate Women. 4 minute read.

Louisa McCormack c.1856-?, from Portsea, Hampshire - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, St. Joseph’s Inebriate Reformatory. 3 minute read.

Mary McManus, aka Mary Gent, aka Mary Jent, aka Mary Brown 1859-?, from Preston, Lancashire - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, St. Joseph’s Inebriate Reformatory. 10 minute read.

Edith Meacham, later Edith Bridge 1873-1955, from Tettenhall, Staffordshire – Illegitimacy, Refuges for Fallen Women (Staffordshire). 3 minute read.

Mary Mindham, later Mary Ramm 1819-1899, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, Women at Work, 1819. 7 minute read.

Ellen Norman, later Ellen Carter 1853-1941, from Westhall, Suffolk – Illegitimacy, Refuges for Fallen Women (Edgbaston). 3 minute read.

Emmeline Pemberton, later Emmeline Mann 1858-1898, from Birmingham, Warwickshire – Illegitimacy, Mental Health, Refuges for Fallen Women (Edgbaston). 2 minute read.

Emma Pitt 1844-1929, from Wimborne, Dorset – Illegitimacy, Infanticide, Lawbreaking, Women at Work, Dorchester Prison. 6 minute read.

Margaret Victoria Potts 1884-1945, from North Shields, County Durham – Illegitimacy, Sickness, Fleming Memorial Hospital. 3 minute read.

Rose Punnett 1888-1930, from Townsville, Australia - Disability, Illegitimacy, No Descendants, Women at Work, Schools for the Deaf (Margate). 11 minute read.

Jane Ann Reed aka Webster, later Jane Ann Stead 1851-1888, from Leeds, Yorkshire – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Prostitution, Leeds Industrial School. 4 minute read.

Ellen Richmond, later Ellen Wellock, afterwards Ellen Nielsen 1866-1952, from Ramsgill, Yorkshire – Domestic Abuse, Illegitimacy. Warning, this story contains an account of domestic abuse. 9 minute read.

Murial Annie Riley, aka Murial Annie Stead, later Muriel Annie Aydon 1890-1963, from Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire – Illegitimacy, Suicide, Women at Work, Cheshire County Training College. Warning, this story contains an account of suicide. 15 minute read.

Anna Eliza Rix 1880-1903, from Great Ellingham, Norfolk – Emigration, Illegitimacy. 12 minute read.

Ann Elizabeth Robshaw, later Ann Elizabeth Dunhill 1856-1936, from Leeds, Yorkshire – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls’ Industrial School. 5 minute read.

Jane Sharp Rowley 1857-?, from Leeds, Yorkshire - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Leeds Girls' Industrial School. 4 minute read.

Ellen Sampson c.1858-?, from Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Prostitution, St. Joseph’s Inebriate Reformatory. 15 minute read.

Ann Smithbone, later Ann Everitt 1819-1900, from Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – Illegitimacy, 1819. 4 minute read.

Elizabeth Soper, later Elizabeth Gale 1866-1924, from Rampisham , Dorset – Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Dorchester Prison. 7 minute read.

Matilda Jane Stewart, later Matilda Jane Geldard 1854-1935, from Scotland - Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Prostitution, Leeds Industrial School. 10 minute read.

Dinah Townend c.1786-1867, from High Hoyland, Yorkshire – Domestic Abuse, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking. Warning, this story contains an account of domestic abuse. 4 minute read.

Mary Voss 1816-1890, from Stinsford, Dorset and Elizabeth Voss, later Elizabeth Legg 1845-1920 from Fordington, Dorset – Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Dorchester Prison. 7 minute read.

Ellen White c.1863-?, from Birmingham, Warwickshire - Alcoholism, Illegitimacy, Lawbreaking, Farmfield Reformatory for Inebriate Women. 4 minute read.

Charlotte Emma Yates 1852-?, from Chelsea, Middlesex – Illegitimacy, Refuges for Fallen Women (Essex). 2 minute read.