Castleton & Its Old . · PDF fileCastleton & Its Old Inhabitants. Chapter 5. Illegitimacy - Bastards and Base Born Children. In times gone by, bearing an illegitimate child could mean

Castleton & Its Old Inhabitants.

Chapter 5. Illegitimacy - Bastards

and Base Born Children.

In times gone by, bearing an illegitimate child

could mean disgrace and poverty following a

woman throughout her life. Similarly the child

could carry a stigma.

Our Parish Registers show many illegitimate

children were born here; the old Castleton

names come tumbling out – Barber, Hall,

Eades, Royse and Dakin to name but a few.

Named at Baptism

Many different terms were used by our old vicars for

a child being born out of wedlock when they were

christened.

In the 1700s words such as “bastard”, “base-born”, “natural”, or just “illegitimate” were used;

“Peggy daughter of Ann Barber, a bastard child” baptised 6th August 1758. Register of

baptisms, marriages & burials 1722-1783. D1432 A/PI 1/2

Castleton circa 1865. ©Castleton Historical Society.

Castleton Register of baptisms, marriages &

burials 1662-1722. D1432 A/PI 1/1. Derbyshire

Record Office.

“Barbara daughter of Sarah Mortin (illegitimate)” and “Mary daughter of Margaret Dakin

(illegitimate)” baptised in 1792. Register of baptisms & burials 1783-1812. D1432 A/PI 1/3.

“Joseph son of Mary Royse, a base born child” baptised 15th October 1764. Register of

baptisms, marriages & burials 1722-1783. D1432 A/PI 1/2 .

“John natural son of Elisabeth Howe” baptised 5th July 1772. Register of baptisms,

marriages & burials 1722-1783. D1432 A/PI 1/2

St Edmund’s Church circa 1870

- wherein hundreds of old

inhabitant’s baptisms have

taken place. ©Castleton

Historical Society.

Illegitimate, buried and poor.

Sadly, even when your child died her birth status could be noted as she was buried;

“Mary daughter of Hannah Eades (illegitimate).” Mary was buried in Castleton Churchyard on 10th

September 1797 – around 18 months old. Hannah herself had been illegitimate too – baptised 18th

October 1772 to mother Anne Eades.

If you were illegitimate and also poor this could be recorded, such as the baptism of “Mary daughter

of Elizabeth Heely (illegitimate of pauper)” in 1789. They may have been forced to live in the Poor

House, sometimes their only refuge in these circumstances. Poor Houses in Castleton around this

time stood off Back Street where the school and yard are today.

Mothers named and shamed.

In the 1800s the terms “spinster” and “single woman” would be applied to the mother at her child’s

Baptism.

Ann Dane of Castleton (above) was a 17 year old servant when she gave birth to her illegitimate

daughter, Hannah Elizabeth, in 1866. The child lived with Ann’s parents, Arnold Dane, a blacksmith,

and his wife Hannah at Cave (Dale) End.

“Mary daughter of Elizabeth Heely (illegitimate of pauper)” baptised 15th February 1789.

Register of baptisms & burials 1783-1812. D1432 A/PI 1/3.

Baptism of Hannah

Elizabeth, daughter of Ann

Dane “single woman” on

25th November 1866.

Current in-use Baptisms

Register.

Baptism of Jane, daughter of

Hannah Dakin “spinster” on

6th October 1826. Baptisms

Jan 1813-July 1864.

D1432A/PI 2/1.

Filiation and Bastardy Papers – making the fathers pay.

Sometimes the name of the “supposed” father would be written in the parish register, using terms

like “putative” and “spurious”.

When the name of the

father was known he could

be made to pay for the

upkeep of the child, by a

Court if necessary, to

ensure he accepted his

responsibility.

Bastardy Papers would be

served by the Overseers of

the Poor, otherwise the

Parish would have to pay.

An early fragment from the Baptism Register; 1650 – Jacoby Bredbury, son “putat” (supposedly)

of Roger Bredbury. Register of baptisms, marriages & burials 1647-1650. D1432 A/PI 1/2

Derby Mercury 15th October 1795. Image ©The British Library Board. All rights

reserved.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000052/17951015/00

4/0001

Cave Dale End, Castleton.

Manchester Times 8th April 1892. Image

©The British Library Board, All Rights

Reserved.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/vie

wer/bl/0000504/18920408/030/0005

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000052/17951015/004/0001




Jane Bullock of Castleton had an illegitimate son, Isaac. He was baptised 14th October 1781.The

child’s father was John Hyde; he was served with Bastardy Papers in 1782. The couple married in

Castleton Church in 1783; Jane died five years later in 1788.

If the father didn’t pay up he would be sent to prison. James Dakin of Castleton found himself likely

to spend three months in Derby Gaol in 1845 for “bastardy” if he didn’t settle up;

Joseph Beverley of Castleton was made to pay two shillings a week for the maintenance of his illegitimate child in 1864;

Clarissa Hall took John Hibbert to Court to ensure support for her child – he had been promising to

marry her after she gave birth to his illegitimate child, Mary, in 1871. They finally married in 1872.

Baptism of Isaac son of Jane Bullock of Castleton “illegitimate”. Register of baptisms, marriages

& burials 1722-1783. D1432 A/PI 1/2.

Derby Mercury 17th December 1845. Image ©The British Library Board. All Rights Reserved.


Glossop Record 28th May 1864. Image ©The British Library Board. All Rights Reserved.


Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald 2nd September 1871. Image ©The British Library Board. All

Rights reserved. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000228/18710902/026/0008




Alice Amelia Barber

Alice Amelia was born in 1857 to twine spinner

Edward Barber, and his second wife, Mary. The

family lived at The Walk, Castleton.

This house has also been referred to as Primrose Hill,

but “Walk” refers to it once being a Rope Walk,

reflecting the family trade.

By 1881, twenty three year old Alice Amelia was still unmarried and working as a laundress. She had

also given birth to her first illegitimate child – Henry Barber, baptised in January 1881.

Still unmarried, Alice Amelia

had a second illegitimate child,

Margaret Ann, born in 1885.

The Barber family at home at “The Walk”.

Hannah (left), Alice Amelia (right) and

Edwin circa 1900.

©Castleton Historical Society.

Henry Barber circa 1909.


Margaret Ann Barber circa

1911.


Henry Barber baptised in

Castleton Church 16th

January 1881 to Alice

Amelia Barber “single

woman”. Current in-use

Baptisms Register.

Henry Barber married Sarah Partington; their daughter, Winnie

Barber, many of us may remember well. She was a tall elegant

lady known for her singing in the church choir.

Winnie records that her father, Henry,

was brought up by Mary Barber, and

that Alice Amelia Barber (Mary’s half-

sister) was his “real” mother.

This was borne out by the Baptisms

Register.

The Schoolmaster and Hannah Hall

John Essex was our Schoolmaster from

January 1883; he resigned in January 1885.

During his time here he made the

acquaintance of Miss Hannah Hall. Hannah

bore an illegitimate child which was alleged

to be his.

The only record I can find of the baptism of a

child to “single woman Hannah Hall” is that of

Isaac Reynolds Hall; baptised in July 1885,

which fits John Essex in the time-frame.

Mary Barber (daughter of Edward

Barber and his first wife Barbara

Dakin) circa 1900 - she brought up

young Henry Barber.


Alice Amelia Barber circa 1900. Alice

married Henry Shirt from Edale in

1886. ©Castleton Historical Society.

Castleton School early 1900s. ©Castleton

Historical Society.

Elizabeth How nee Reeve, born in

1838. Image courtesy of Harry Lees.

At the Chapel-en-le-Frith Petty Sessions the following year he was called to show why he should not

contribute to the upkeep of the illegitimate child.

Neither Hannah Hall nor John Essex turned up at the hearing but Sergeant Gray of Castleton told the

Court the couple had settled the matter between themselves.

The child died in December 1888, aged 3.

The Reeve Family

John and Martha Reeve lived in Little Hucklow; however they appear in the 1851 Castleton

Census staying in the Market Place. They had connections with the Whittingham family,

rope makers of Castleton. The Reeves had two daughters, Hannah* and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth married Samuel How, boot and shoemaker

of Castleton, in St Edmund’s Church in 1875; Samuel at

57, being some twenty years older than Elizabeth.

They lived at Townhead in Castleton.

Baptism of Isaac Reynolds Hall, son of Hannah Hall “single woman” of Castleton, 19th July 1885.

Current in-use Baptisms Register.

Townhead, Castleton circa 1900. ©Castleton

Historical Society.

Elizabeth had already had an illegitimate daughter, Mary Reeve, born around 1858. The

family believed John Hadfield to be her father. Elizabeth died in 1884, aged 46, and is buried in

Castleton Churchyard.

Mary Reeve worked at the Cheshire Cheese Inn as a

domestic servant and barmaid when her uncle, George

Whittingham, was landlord in the 1870s/1880s.

She too went on to have an illegitimate child of her own, Alice Ann Reeve, who was baptised

here in Castleton Church in 1881. Mary would never say who the father of Alice was.

Both Mary and her daughter Alice went on to have successful marriages and families. Alice’s

grandson, Mr Harry Lees, has kindly allowed us to share their photographs and story.

*Hannah Reeve married George Whittingham in 1861; they were the grandparents of

Castleton’s well-known Dolly Medwell of Russett Well who died in 2003 aged 101 – more on

this family another time.

Mary Reeve, Elizabeth’s illegitimate

child. Image courtesy of Harry Lees.

Alice Ann Reeve baptised in St Edmund’s Church 1881,

seen here circa 1900. Image courtesy of Harry Lees.

Baptism of Alice Ann Reeve in Castleton Church 17th November

1881. Her mother was Mary Reeve “single woman”. Current in-

use baptisms register.

The Cheshire Cheese Inn circa 1900.

© Castleton Historical Society.

Derby Mercury 25th January 1832. Image ©The British Library

Board. All Rights Reserved. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000052/18320125/012/0003

In conclusion, it seems that if a woman bearing an illegitimate child had the support of her

family, the child’s father, or even a husband, then all could be well; unlike the sad story of

Alice Brocklehurst in 1832.

Alice worked as a servant

at the Nag’s Head Inn -

finding herself pregnant

and rejected by lead miner

Robert Eyre, she took her

own life instead of facing

an uncertain future and

disgrace.

Today, of course, it simply

wouldn’t matter.

Bibliography

Castleton Register of baptisms, marriages (to 1773) & burials 1647-1650, 1722-1783. D1432 A/PI 1/2 .

Register of baptisms & burials 1783-1812. D1432 A/PI 1/3. Derbyshire Record Office.

Poor Houses reference; Plan and Survey of Castleton 1819 B. Staley D911 Z/PI 1-2. Derbyshire Record Office.

Castleton Baptisms Jan 1813-July 1864. D1432A/PI 2/1. Derbyshire Record Office.

Castleton Baptisms September 1864 onwards. Current in-use Baptisms Register.

1871 Census Castleton; Class: RG10; Piece: 3636; Folio: 31; Page: 6; GSU roll: 841851. Ancestry.com. 1871

England Census [database on-line].

Manchester Times 8th April 1892. The British Newspaper Archive.

Derby Mercury 15th October 1795. The British Newspaper Archive.

Yesterday’s Journey (Bastardy Papers ref Q2/45)

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~spire/Yesterday/

The Nag’s Head Inn late 1800s. Alice worked here as a

servant. She was buried in Castleton Churchyard, behind

the old Inn, in January 1832. ©Castleton Historical

Society.



Castleton Marriages May 1754-July 1805 D1432 A/PI 3/1. Derbyshire Record Office.

Derby Mercury 17th December 1845. The British Newspaper Archive.

Glossop Record 28th May 1864. The British Newspaper Archive.

Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald 2nd September 1871. The British Newspaper Archive.

Castleton Marriages July 1837-Sept 1958 D1432 A/PI 3/4. Derbyshire Record Office.

1881 Census Castleton; Class: RG11; Piece: 3456; Folio: 35; Page: 18; GSU roll: 1341827. Ancestry.com. 1881 England Census [database on-line].



Marriage of Alice Amelia Barber and Henry Shirt 1886. England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-

1915. Ancestry.com.

CHS newspaper file; unknown title dated May 1886.

School Log Book 1; page 102 appointment of John Essex, page 139 resignation.

Castleton Burials March 30th 1887 onwards. Current in-use Burials Register.

1851 Census Castleton; Class: HO107; Piece: 2151; Folio: 342; Page: 13; GSU roll: 87784.Ancestry.com. 1851




Castleton Marriages July 1837 – Sep 1958. D1432 A/PI 3/4. Derbyshire Record Office.

Castleton Burials Jan 1813 – March 1887. D1432 A/PI 5/1. Derbyshire Record Office.

Derby Mercury 25th

January 1832. The British Newspaper Archive.

Acknowledgements.

My thanks to Derbyshire Record Office, Reverends Ian Davis and Josephine Barnes for their kind permission

to reproduce images and information from Castleton Parish Registers. Also to Castleton Historical Society

Trustees for permission to reproduce our photographs. Thanks to Karen Green for help with Latin, and to

Nancy Lees, Head of Castleton School, for access to the School Log Books. My thanks also to Mr Harry Lees

(descendant of the Reeve family) for his kind permission to reproduce his family photographs and share

information about his family, and also to Audrey Middleton regarding the Castleton Barber family.

Information from Census and marriages outside Castleton from Ancestry; http://home.ancestry.co.uk/ and

Bastardy Papers from Yesterday’s Journey http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~spire/Yesterday/

Newspaper images reproduced with the kind permission of the British Newspaper Archive

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ Also thanks to Val and Ian Burgess for assistance with editing

this article for Castleton Historical Society’s website.

Kay Harrison, July 2015.

http://home.ancestry.co.uk/


http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

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Castleton & Its Old . · PDF fileCastleton & Its Old Inhabitants. Chapter 5. Illegitimacy - Bastards and Base Born Children. In times gone by, bearing an illegitimate child could mean