Bastardy Cases - Petty Sessions

When a child was born out of wedlock the mother was expected to name the father so that maintenance could be claimed from him. She was often unable to work and reliant on the parish for relief and no parish wanted to pay, if it need not, to maintain the girl and her baby.

A court could issue a Filiation Order for money to be paid weekly until such child was able to support itself, refuse to set an order or dismiss the case for want of evidence. Some cases were abandoned because the two parties did not appear at court or the father had run away and occasionally the parties would make their own agreement out of court. Some entries are written twice and it is likely that the mother had twins and the reputed father was ordered to pay for each child.

Petty Sessions Returns of Bastardy were sent in by the Overseers of the Poor and give the name of the mother, date of court hearing, the name of the reputed father and the court ruling, but not the parish. All local cases would have been at Wellingborough or Higham Ferrers. [NRO Ref: Misc. QS 211 + 218]

Cases at the Petty Sessions 1844-1901
Court	year	session	Mother		Reputed Father		outcome/notes
Wellingborough	1852	12 Apr	Elizabeth	ABBOTT	Thomas	BURDITT	order made
Wellingborough	1855	09 Apr	Ann	ABBOTT	Edward	SMITH	order made
Wellingborough	1857	21 Dec	Sarah	ABBOTT			refused
Wellingborough	1845	21 Apr	Sarah	ABRAHAM	Charles	SIMPSON	order made
Wellingborough	1858	10 May	Fanny	ABRAHAMS	Joseph	HANCOCK	order made
Wellingborough	1848	06 Nov	Caroline	ADAMS	George	MARTIN	order made
Wellingborough	1849	24 Sep	Martha	AGUTTERS	Joseph	COOPER	order made
Wellingborough	1849	16 Jul	Mary	ALLEN	Jonathan	WOODING	order made
Wellingborough	1851	17 Nov	Sarah Ann	ARCH	William	COOMBS	order made
Wellingborough	1849	-	Lydia	ATTLEY			summons not served
Wellingborough	1851	- May	Ann	AUSTIN			abandoned
Wellingborough	1844	18 Nov	Kerenhappuch	BAKER	John	SYKES	order made
Wellingborough	1851	19 May	Elizabeth	BAKER	James	HEWITT	order made
Wellingborough	1857	03 Aug	Martha	BAYES	John	WILKINS	order made
Wellingborough	1852	10 May	Emma	BELL	William	MOLE	order made
Wellingborough	1844	04 Nov	Rebecca	BERRILL	Charles	ABBOTT a BAKER	order made
Wellingborough	1850	29 Apr	Martha	BERRILL			refused
Wellingborough	1853	19 Dec	Elizabeth	BETTLES	Richard	DUNKLEY	order made
Wellingborough	1854	30 Jan	Sarah	BLACKWELL	Charles	KILLER	order made
Wellingborough	1858	15 Feb	Elizabeth	BRAWN	James	BRAWN	order made
Wellingborough	1846	21 Sep	Mary Ann	BRAYBROOK			refused
Wellingborough	1851	- Jan	Jane	BROWN			abandoned
Wellingborough	1856	18 Aug	Maria	BURGESS	William	CARTER	order made
Wellingborough	1855	04 Jun	Mary	BURTON	James	BUGBY	order made
Wellingborough	1853	- Oct	Zipporale	BUSBY			abandoned
Wellingborough	1845	05 May	Lydia	BUTLER	George	DICKINS	order made
Wellingborough	1852	24 May	Louisa	BYFIELD	Thomas	GEORGE	order made
Wellingborough	1850	05 Aug	Jane	CARVER	Benjamin	PENNY	order made
Wellingborough	1844	30 Dec	Elizabeth	CHAMBERLAIN			adjourned
Wellingborough	1845	13 Jan	Elizabeth	CHAMBERLAIN			refused
Wellingborough	1857	28 Sep	Mary	CHAPLIN	John	SHARP	order made
Wellingborough	1851	17 Nov	Mary	CHAPMAN	William	FOX	order made
Wellingborough	1850	24 Jun	Jane	CHARLTON	Thomas	LOVELL	order made
Wellingborough	1844	23 Sep	Elizabeth	CHENEY	John	ROBINSON	order made
Wellingborough	1850	02 Sep	Ann	CHENEY	James	DRAGE	order made
Wellingborough	1857	16 Mar	Ann	CHENEY	John Turnell	COBLEY	order made
Wellingborough	1845	05 May	Maria	CHILDS	George	GREEN	order made
Wellingborough	1855	08 Oct	Sarah Ann	CHILDS	William	REYNOLDS	order made
Wellingborough	1849	07 May	Jane	CHURCH	George	YERRELL	order made
Wellingborough	1855	10 Sep	Sarah	CLAPHAM	Benjamin	BRIGHTWELL	order made
Wellingborough	1844	07 Oct	Elizabeth	CLARK	Solomon	BAKER	order made
Wellingborough	1844	21 Oct	Lois	CLARK	Jacob	CLARK	order made
Wellingborough	1852	09 Feb	Elizabeth	CLARKE	John	ROBINSON	order made
Wellingborough	1848	22 May	Maria	CLAYSON			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1848	31 Jul	Maria	CLAYSON	Thomas	WALLINGTON	order made
Wellingborough	1859	- Aug	Sarah Ann	CLAYTON			abandoned
Wellingborough	1849	21 May	Ann	COBLEY	William	GORE	order made
Wellingborough	1858	24 May	Julia	COCKAYNE	Daniel	BURNALL	order made
Wellingborough	1852	- Sep	Ann	COGGINS			abandoned
Wellingborough	1852	03 Jan'53	Elizabeth	COLES	William	DESBOROUGH	order made
Wellingborough	1848	08 May	Hannah	COLLINS	George	SMITH	order made
Wellingborough	1844	07 Oct	Elizabeth	COOK	William	SMITH	order made
Wellingborough	1844	07 Oct	Sarah Ann	CRADDOCK	William	LINES	order made
Higham Ferrers	1844	25 Nov	Sarah	DENTON	Austin	ABRAHAMS	order made
Wellingborough	1857	16 Mar	Hannah	DICKINS	Richard	LEWIN	order made
Wellingborough	1852	19 Jul	Sarah	DIGBY	William	WALKER	order made
Wellingborough	1853	06 Jun	Elizabeth	DRAGE	George	BRAWN	order made
Wellingborough	1857	- Jan	Mary	DRAGE			abandoned
Wellingborough	1858	08 Nov	Elizabeth	DRAGE	George	BAYES	order made
Higham Ferrers	1848	09 Mar	Emma	DRAPER	Robert	MAYES	order made
Wellingborough	1859	24 Oct	Sarah Ann	DRIVER	Joseph	CURTIS	order made
Wellingborough	1845	27 Jan	Christiana	DUNMORE			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1857	- Feb	Sarah	DUNMORE			abandoned
Wellingborough	1845	28 Jul	Sarah	ETTE	Samuel	CHAMBERS	order made
Wellingborough	1856	- Jan	Sarah	ETTE			summons not served
Wellingborough	1849	12 Feb	Emma	EYTE	Samuel	CURZON	order made
Wellingborough	1845	13 Oct	Sarah Ann	FACER	Job	DARNELL	order made
Wellingborough	1848	09 Oct	Ann	FITZHUGH			refused
Wellingborough	1856	10 Mar	Mary	FROST			refused
Wellingborough	1856	08 Dec	Elizabeth	FROST	George	CLAPHAM	order made
Wellingborough	1850	29 Apr	Clara Coles	GARRATT	George	MOLE	order made
Wellingborough	1845	08 Sep	Mary Ann	GENT			refused
Wellingborough	1854	- Nov	Lavinia	GENT			abandoned
Wellingborough	1844	18 Nov	Eliza	GEORGE	Joseph	RAINBOW	order made
Wellingborough	1845	08 Dec	Elizabeth	GEORGE	Joseph	ALIBONE	order made
Wellingborough	1852	- Jul	Charlotte	GIBSON			summons not served
Wellingborough	1854	27 Mar	Dinah	GIDDINGS	Thomas	WILLS	order made
Wellingborough	1845	13 Oct	Elizabeth	GILLHAM	Adolf	WORMAN	order made
Wellingborough	1851	- Oct	Louisa	GOLDSBOROUGH			abandoned
Wellingborough	1854	14 Aug	Mary	GOOD			refused
Wellingborough	1846	15 Jun	Henrietta	GREEN	George	THOMPSON	order made
Wellingborough	1848	03 Jul	Louisa	GREEN	William	BAILEY	order made
Higham Ferrers	1844	25 Nov	Sarah Ann	HALE	Charles	PATENALL	order made
Higham Ferrers	1848	22 Nov	Mary Ann	HALE	William	WRIGHTEN	order made
Wellingborough	1859	28 Feb	Elizabeth	HANGER	William	RADSDELL	order made
Wellingborough	1858	- Apr	Mary Ann	HART			summons not served
Wellingborough	1856	14 Jan	Martha	HARTWELL	William	HASELDINE	order made
Wellingborough	1856	10 Nov	Ann	HEWITT	John	McCOY	order made
Wellingborough	1853	- Nov	Rhoda	HODSON			summons not served
Wellingborough	1853	23 May	Elizabeth	HOLLIS	Joseph	BAYES	order made
Wellingborough	1853	28 Mar	Elizabeth	HOPKINS	George	CHAMBERS	order made
Wellingborough	1846	27 Jul	Ann	HORN	Joseph	BURTON	order made
Wellingborough	1851	25 Aug	Ann	HORNER	Timothy	GROOM	order made
Wellingborough	1851	17 Nov	Elizabeth	HORNSEY	George	NEWILL	order made
Wellingborough	1846	27 Jul	Elizabeth	HOUGHTON	Thomas	BARRICK	order made
Wellingborough	1851	19 May	Fanny	HOUGHTON	William	WHITTERING	order made
Wellingborough	1854	13 Mar	Sarah	HOWELL	Isaac	WILKINS	order made
Wellingborough	1849	01 Jan	Mary Ann	INGRAM	William	BUNTON	order made
Wellingborough	1859	11 Apr	Esther	JACKSON			refused
Wellingborough	1859	09 May	Esther	JACKSON	Peter	CLARKE	order made
Wellingborough	1857	26 Oct	Rachel	JAMES	William	JAMES	order made
Wellingborough	1855	03 Dec	Sarah	JAQUEST	William Jackson	GOOSEY	order made
Wellingborough	1844	30 Dec	Susan	JEFFERY			summons not served
Wellingborough	1845	02 Jun	Susan	JEFFERY	Frederick	FALL	order made
Wellingborough	1848	25 Sep	Hepzibah	JOICE			refused
Wellingborough	1846	29 Jun	Caroline	JUDKINS	William	LITCHFIELD	order made
Wellingborough	1858	16 Aug	Sarah	JUDKINS	John	JAQUEST	order made
Wellingborough	1844	07 Oct	Rebecca	KNIGHT	Benjamin	WARNER	order made
Wellingborough	1850	14 Jan	Phoebe	KNIGHT			refused
Wellingborough	1851	21 Apr	Esther	KNIGHT	Samuel	BEALE	order made
Wellingborough	1853	06 Jun	Esther	KNIGHT	Peter	CLARKE	order made
Wellingborough	1846	01 Jun	Mary Ann	LAMBERT	Joseph	LILLEY	order made
Wellingborough	1845	10 Nov	Lucy	LANGLEY	Isaac	MORTON	order made
Wellingborough	1846	07 Dec	Sarah	LARUM	Samuel	LEWIN	order made
Wellingborough	1855	- Oct	Ruth	LAWRENCE			abandoned
Wellingborough	1859	- Apr	Elizabeth	LEE			summons not served
Wellingborough	1858	20 Dec	Sophia	LENTON	Thomas	GROSS	order made
Wellingborough	1844	04 Nov	Ann	LETTS			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1845	21 Apr	Ann	LETTS			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1858	16 Aug	Charlotte	LIGGINS	Robert	THOMPSON	order made
Wellingborough	1854	16 Jan	Mary	LILLEY	James	PAGE	order made
Wellingborough	1856	11 Feb	Elizabeth	LILLEY			abandoned
Wellingborough	1848	24 Jul	Comfort	LINNELL	Thomas	RUSSELL	order made
Wellingborough	1851	25 Sep	Ann	LINNITT	Nelson	RODDIS	order made
Wellingborough	1848	14 Aug	Ann	MABBUTT			refused
Wellingborough	1851	20 Oct	Elizabeth	MABBUTT	John	DILLY	order made
Wellingborough	1846	18 May	Mary	MANNING			refused
Wellingborough	1850	11 Feb	Mary Ann	MARRIOTT	John	MARRIOTT	order made
Wellingborough	1858	- Apr	Ruth	MARRIOTT			summons not served
Wellingborough	1850	05 Aug	Rose	MARTIN	John	BEESON	order made
Wellingborough	1855	24 Sep	Caroline	MARTIN	George	LATTAWAY	order made
Wellingborough	1849	04 Jun	Hannah	MITCHELL			refused
Wellingborough	1854	28 Aug	Martha	MITCHELL	Allen	NEVILLE	order made
Wellingborough	1844	21 Oct	Caroline	MORRIS			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1851	- Apr	Sarah	MORRIS			abandoned
Wellingborough	1852	- Jun	Mary	MORRIS			summons not served
Wellingborough	1851	17 Mar	Esther	MOULD	William	BATES	order made
Wellingborough	1844	04 Nov	Henrietta	MUNDIN			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1846	13 Jul	Hannah	MUNNS	Samuel	LAWSON	order made
Wellingborough	1848	25 Sep	Ann	MUNNS	David	COOK	order made
Wellingborough	1854	- Jan	Caroline	MUNNS			abandoned
Wellingborough	1853	07 Nov	Mary	MURDIN	George	WARREN	order made
Wellingborough	1852	26 Jan	Elizabeth	NEALE	John	GRAY	order made
Wellingborough	1853	26 Sep	Mary Ann	PAGE	Henry	HENSON	order made
Wellingborough	1850	25 Feb	Lucy	PALMER	Richard	HOUGHTON	order made
Wellingborough	1845	10 Mar	Ann	PANTHER	Peter	GARNER	order made
Wellingborough	1853	14 Feb	Sarah	PANTLIN	Samuel	LAWRENCE	order made
Higham Ferrers	1849	27 Feb	Sarah	PARKER			refused
Wellingborough	1851	06 Oct	Elizabeth	PARTRIDGE	Charles	GREEN	order made
Wellingborough	1846	19 Jan	Sarah	PENDERED			not served-absconded
Wellingborough	1848	19 Jun	Mary	PERCIVAL	Thomas	LETTS	order made
Wellingborough	1850	10 Jun	Elizabeth	PERKINS	James	OWEN	order made
Wellingborough	1848	03 Jan	Margaret	PIERCE	Joseph	HODGES	order made
Wellingborough	1850	28 Jan	Mary Ann	POLLARD	Thomas	WALKER	order made
Wellingborough	1846	30 Mar	Ellen	RANDALL	George	BUSBY	order made
Wellingborough	1846	07 Sep	Elizabeth	RANDALL	William	MUNNS	order made
Wellingborough	1851	21 Apr	Lucy	RANDALL			refused
Wellingborough	1844	07 Oct	Ann	RAWLINS	William	ROOTHAM	order made
Wellingborough	1846	18 May	Elizabeth	REYNOLDS			refused
Wellingborough	1853	- Mar	Ann	RICE			abandoned
Wellingborough	1845	10 Mar	Elizabeth	RIVETT	Robert	SCARBOROW	order made
Wellingborough	1849	24 Sep	Elizabeth	RIVETT	Benjamin	PARTRIDGE	order made
Wellingborough	1851	06 Jan	Mary Ann	RIVETT	Samuel	CLARK	order made
Wellingborough	1851	06 Oct	Rebecca	ROBERTS			abandoned
Wellingborough	1852	16 Aug	Rebecca	ROBERTS	John	PHILLIPS	order made
Wellingborough	1854	10 Apr	Phoebe	ROBERTS	John	GOOSEY	order made
Wellingborough	1852	10 May	Harriet	ROBERTSON	Samuel	BATES	order made
Wellingborough	1844	18 Nov	Elizabeth	ROBINSON			refused
Wellingborough	1850	23 Dec	Mary	ROBINSON	George	HARDWICK	order made
Wellingborough	1853	06 Jun	Sarah	ROBINSON	Edmund	NEALE	order made
Wellingborough	1848	17 Jan	Ann	ROSS	James	DRAGE	order made
Wellingborough	1844	21 Oct	Susannah	ROWE	Daniel	BARBER	order made
Wellingborough	1849	-	Mary	RYE			abandoned
Wellingborough	1850	27 May	Emily	RYE	Charles	WYMAN	order made
Wellingborough	1853	21 Nov	Louisa	SHARP	Samuel	WARR	order made
Wellingborough	1854	18 Dec	Martha	SHARP	William	BETTLES	order made
Wellingborough	1855	23 Apr	Mary Ann	SHELFORD			refused
Wellingborough	1848	31 Jan	Maria	SHORT	Joseph	PETTIT	order made
Wellingborough	1852	16 Aug	Caroline	SHRIVES	John	COOPER	order made
Wellingborough	1851	07 Apr	Charlotte	SIMMONS	Bryan	LILLEY	order made
Wellingborough	1850	10 Jun	Elizabeth	SIMPSON	George	INGRAM	order made
Wellingborough	1856	18 Aug	Sarah	SKEVINGTON	Samuel	BAMFORD	order made
Wellingborough	1858	- Jun	Ann	SMART			summons not served
Wellingborough	1859	23 May	Mary Ann	SMART			refused
Wellingborough	1848	10 Apr	Sarah	SMITH	William	GOODE	order made
Wellingborough	1857	- Aug	Hephzibah	SMITH			abandoned
Wellingborough	1858	11 Oct	Lucy	SMITH	James	SAUNSON	order made
Wellingborough	1852	05 Jul	Sarah	SPENCE	George	FEATHERSTONEHAUGH	order made
Wellingborough	1849	18 Jun	Mary	SPENCER	William	GELL	order made
Wellingborough	1858	- Nov	Mary Ann	SPENCER			summons not served
Wellingborough	1844	21 Oct	Martha	STANLEY			refused
Wellingborough	1850	- Apr	Matilda	SUTTON			abandoned
Wellingborough	1850	15 Apr	Mary Ann	TALBOT			refused
Wellingborough	1858	16 Aug	Elizabeth	TALBOT	William	EDWARDS	order made
Wellingborough	1857	- Sep	Elizabeth	TALBUTT			abandoned
Wellingborough	1848	27 Mar	Mary Ann	TEBBUTT			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1858	15 Mar	Sarah Ann	TEBBUTT	Abraham	WAPLES	order made
Wellingborough	1856	10 Nov	Lydia	THOMPSON	Samuel	CORBY	order made
Wellingborough	1848	13 Mar	Ann	THORNTON	William	CHAPMAN	order made
Wellingborough	1851	07 Apr	Jemima	TOMPKINS	William	TOMPKINS	order made
Wellingborough	1854	25 Sep	Mary	TOMPKINS	William	HOW	order made
Wellingborough	1854	06 Nov	Dorothy	TOMPKINS	James	BRADSHAW	order made
Wellingborough	1851	- May	Charlotte	TRASSLER			abandoned
Wellingborough	1852	03 Jan'53	Charlotte Ann	TREADGOLD	Charles	HIGGINS	order made
Wellingborough	1845	16 Jun	Sophia	TWELTREE	John	BIRD	order made
Wellingborough	1856	09 Jun	Charlotte	UNDERWOOD	Mark	MUNNS	order made
Wellingborough	1858	08 Apr	Elizabeth	VAUGHAN	George	BRAFIELD	order made
Wellingborough	1849	21 May	Esther	WADSWORTH	William	DRAGE	order made
Wellingborough	1850	19 Aug	Ann	WALDEN	Thomas	KNIGHT	order made
Wellingborough	1853	10 Oct	Martha	WALDEN			refused
Wellingborough	1849	01 Jan	Maria	WALDING	William	CHAPMAN	order made
Wellingborough	1851	03 Mar	Mary	WAPLES	Thomas	WALKER	order made
Wellingborough	1846	28 Sep	Mary	WARD			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1846	21 Dec	Mary	WARD	Samuel	SUMPTER	order made
Wellingborough	1856	28 Jan	Selina	WARNER	Thomas	HOUGHTON	order made
Wellingborough	1849	23 Apr	Mary Ann	WARREN	Joseph	MEACOCK	order made
Wellingborough	1846	21 Dec	Elizabeth	WEBB	Henry	STUBBS	order made
Wellingborough	1844	04 Nov	Mary Ann	WEED	Nathaniel	LABRAM	order made
Wellingborough	1852	- Oct	Jane	WEEKLY			summons not served
Wellingborough	1859	04 Jul	Mary Ann	WHITEHEAD	James	BAILEY	order made
Wellingborough	1859	14 Feb	Martha	WILKINS	Richard	HUTCHINS	order made
Wellingborough	1846	12 Oct	Elizabeth	WILLIS			not proceeded with
Wellingborough	1849	-	Mary	WILSON			abandoned
Wellingborough	1859	- Dec	Mary	WINDSOR			abandoned
Wellingborough	1846	19 Jan	Elizabeth	WINSOR	Alfred	THOMPSON	order made
Wellingborough	1849	23 Apr	Louisa	WISE	John	BUTCHER	order made
Wellingborough	1852	12 Apr	Phoebe	WOOD	Thomas	TUN	order made
Wellingborough	1850	08 Jul	Eliza	WORLEY	Joseph	BATES	order made
Wellingborough	1851	06 Oct	Eliza	WORTLEY	Joseph	BATES	order made
Wellingborough	1853	06 Jun	Eliza	WRIGHT	George	DICKERSON	order made
Higham Ferrers	1844	28 Oct	Rhoda	WYMAN	Samuel	SPENCER	order made
Wellingborough	1845	10 Feb	Mary	WYMAN	James	RIVETT	order made
Wellingborough	1856	04 Aug	Harriet	WYMAN	Thomas	ANDERSON	order made

NRO Ref: Misc. QS 211 + 218