Thesis Submitted for the Degree Of

THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL The Incidence and Nature of Illegitimacy in East Yorkshire in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries being a Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Hull by Margaret Sheila Oliver B.Ed. (Hull), B.A. (Hull) August 2014 Ab stract Many historians have studied illegitimacy as a national economic and social problem. Today, in the early years of the 21 st century, when many couples enjoy long and stable relationships without the formality of certified marriage, even the word itself is something of an anachronism. Many children are born and brought up in families where the parents never marry but who, nevertheless, support them in exactly the same way as their married counterparts. For these children, happily, social stigma is a thing of the past. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries things were very different and illegitimacy was officially viewed as a great social evil. There is no doubt that single motherhood was thought to have serious implications for the provision of poor relief and was even instrumental in a major change to the law in 1834. Illegitimacy was a personal phenomenon that had a national impact on economic and social affairs. This work is directed at the nature of illegitimacy and examines its effect on the individuals concerned. It looks at the lives of the mothers, fathers and children who were touched by the incidence of illegitimacy. It draws on a variety of national and parish documents in order to gain an insight into their lives and personal circumstances. It investigates the nature of marriage, illegitimate maternity, the effect of the Poor Law, the mortality penalty of illegitimacy, and the prospects of the future lives of single mothers and their children. It will show that they were not necessarily indolent, immoral or feckless, but were affected by circumstance and often lived long and economically productive existences, and were supported by family relationships regardless of the adversity that illegitimacy brought to their young lives. Acknowledgements The research for this work was undertaken over a period of several years and many people have offered their interesting and helpful comments during its progress to the written thesis. These have included members of the East Yorkshire Family History Society and the East Yorkshire Local History Society as well as friends and colleagues. Research has been carried out in the three archives local to the area of the study; the East Riding Archives and Local Studies at The Treasure House, Beverley, the Hull City Archives at The History Centre, Hull and the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York. In addition, research was also undertaken at The National Archives, Kew. Thanks are due to the staff of these institutions for their help, advice and cheerful willingness to provide access to the relevant documents. I have received particular support and encouragement from a number of people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. Pamela and Richard Walgate, Catherine and Andy Jackson, Judy and Geoff Martin, Sheila Dixon and David Smith have all bolstered my spirits over the years as well as offering specific help and advice. Particular thanks go to Geoff Martin for the drawing and production of the maps. I would also like to thank Dr. David Neave, for revitalising a love of history and for his initial encouragement. My husband, Paul Oliver, whose eagle-eyed editing skills have been invaluable, has suffered the interruptions to our lives with loving patience and has never once wavered in his belief in me, nor have our children, Katherine, Tom, Joe and Miriam. This thesis is a testament to them for their unqualified love and crucial support, without which it would not have been written. My most particular thanks go to my supervisors, Prof. Michael Turner and Dr. John Walker. They have offered unstinting help, advice and support, the most valuable and constructive criticism and have maintained a steadfast faith in my ability to produce a credible piece of work. Their staunch support has underpinned everything. Table of Contents. Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2. Sources and Methods and the Area of Study ........................................ 26 Chapter 3. Marriage, Illegitimacy and the Nature of Relationships ....................... 64 Chapter 4. Illegitimacy and the Poor Law ............................................................ 110 Chapter 5. Illegitimacy and Mortality ................................................................. 169 Chapter 6. The Future Prospects of Single Mothers and their Children .............. 214 Chapter 7. Conclusion .......................................................................................... 274 Appendices Appendix A. Terms Denoting Illegitimacy in East Yorkshire Parish Registers ...... 288 Appendix B. Settlement Terms and Conditions ....................................................... 289 Appendix C. Table of Data Sets ............................................................................. ..290 Appendix D. Table of Population Increase .............................................................. 292 Appendix E. Occupations of Illegitimate Children Listed in Census Returns 1861-1911. .......................................................................................... 294 Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 295 List of Tables Table 3.1 Recorded Illegitimate Baptisms Before and After the 1753 Marriage Act for Selected East Yorkshire Parishes ............................................. 78 Table 3.2. Brandesburton Female Baptisms, 1700-1810 ....................................... 94 Table 3.3. Age at Marriage and Age at Illegitimate Maternity in Brandesburton, 1700-1840. ............................................................................................ 98 Table 3.4. Age at Illegitimate Maternity, 1700-1840 ............................................ 98 Table 3.5. Offences Presented by East Riding Churchwardens 1679-1833 .......... 99 Table 3.6. Single Mothers Married in the Parish Church in Five Parishes .......... 103 Table 3.7. Single Mothers from the Five Parishes Married Within/After Ten Years from Maternity .......................................................................... 104 Table 3.8. Interval between Illegitimate Maternity and Marriage of Single Mothers Married in the Five Parishes within Ten Years from Maternity ......... 104 Table 3.9. Named Single Mothers in East Riding of Yorkshire Bastardy Orders Married Between 1837-1882. ............................................................. 105 i Table 3.10. Seasonality of Marriage for the Parish of Brandesburton, 1701-1800 ........................................................................................... 108 Table 3.11. Seasonality of Illegitimate Maternities for the Parish of Brandesburton ..................................................................................... 109 Table 4.1. The Poor Rate in Relation to Population ............................................ 114 Table 4.2. Annual Expenditure on the Poor ......................................................... 120 Table 4.3. Percentage of Responses to Rural Queries in Contiguous Counties, 1834 .................................................................................................... 128 Table 4.4. Expense of Illegitimate Children to the Parish of Hornsea, 1828-1832 ........................................................................................... 156 Table 4.5. Expense of Illegitimate Children to the Parish of Patrington, 1829-1833. .......................................................................................... 157 Table 4.6. Expense of Illegitimate Children to the United Parishes of Holy Trinity and St. Mary, Hull, 1827-1831 ............................................... 161 Table 4.7. Expense of Illegitimate Children to the Parish of St. Saviour, York, 1828-1832 ........................................................................................... 162 Table 4.8. Expense of Illegitimate Children to the Parish of St. Lawrence, York, 1828-1832 ................................................................................. 162 Table 5.1. Distribution of Infant Mortality Rates in Eastern Counties of England, 1845-1854 ............................................................................ 177 Table 5.2. Annual Deaths from Diarrhoea in Hull, 1868-1871 ........................... 182 Table 5.3. Summer Temperatures Recorded at Oxford, 1868-1871 .................... 183 Table 5.4 Burials of Legitimate and Illegitimate Children in Sculcoates, 1813-1824 ........................................................................................... 188 Table 5.5. Recorded Events for Illegitimate Children Baptised in Westbourne, West Sussex and Brandesburton, East Yorkshire, 1720-1840 ............ 193 Table 6.1. Parental Information for Sculcoates Pauper Apprentices ................... 225 Table 6.2. Women Inmates of Child Bearing Age (15-45) and Their Children in East Riding Workhouse, 1851 ........................................................ 234 Table 6.3. Number of Illegitimate Children in East Riding Workhouses in 1851 Traced

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