Genealogy Chat

Sent gfor a birth cert for my great great grandad in the hope of finding his dads name however there is no farther on the cert. The mothers surname is down as Askham which would have been the fathers surname and she is showing a madien name of clark. People have told me the only reason the father would be missing was if the child was illegitimate but I am confused by the mother using the Askham name. Could there be another reason for the absense of the father - death for example. Any ideas would be greatly appricated as this has really thrown a spanner in the works for me! Thanks Michelle

Even if the father had died he would normally have been named on the birth certificate. It is possible that her husband was not the father which was why he was not named. Do you know if she was a widow, that could be another reason for the father's name to be missing, she may have had an illegitimate child after she was widowed. You will need to do some more digging to be find out one way or the other. good luck, Jennifer

Thanks for your response. she is showing on the 1881 census as married which is 12 months after the birth cert was issued and she is still using the askham name however she is showing as head of the house. Any ideas?

Do you know Mr Askham's first name?....and what is the wife's first name? Merry

unfortunatley not. I only know the son was called George.

Can you give the 1881 census details please.....I can't find a George without a father!! LOL Merry

George Henry Askham born 1873 in Sheffield

Oh, so he wasn't a year old in 1881 then!!!! Sarah ASKHAM Head M Female 48 Sheffield, York, England Paper Hanger Albert ASKHAM Son U Male 18 Sheffield, York, England Cutler Henry ASKHAM Son Male 16 Sheffield, York, England Cutler Eliza ASKHAM Daur Female 14 Sheffield, York, England Geo. Henry ASKHAM Son Male 8 Sheffield, York, England Scholar Arthur BEARDER Boarder U Male 38 Sheffield, York, England Cutler Back in a min! Merry

1871: Still no dad! Albert Askham abt 1863 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire Eliza Askham abt 1867 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Elizabeth Askham abt 1861 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Fanny Askham abt 1870 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Harriett Askham abt 1857 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Henry Askham abt 1865 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire John Askham abt 1855 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire Sarah Askham abt 1833 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Wife Sheffield Yorkshire Merry

sorry! bit a stupid moment i had. He was 8 in 1881.

1861: Ann Askham abt 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Elizabeth Askham abt 1860 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire Harriett Askham abt 1858 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sheffield Yorkshire James Askham abt 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire John Askham abt 1855 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire Sarah Askham abt 1831 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Wife Sheffield Yorkshire William Askham abt 1830 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Head Sheffield Yorkshire Hubby at last! Now we have to find out what happened to him! Merry

Couldn't see him straight away after 1861, so went back to 1851 to see if he gave matching details: 1851 Sarah Askham abt 1832 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Boarder Sheffield Yorkshire William Askham abt 1830 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Boarder Sheffield Yorkshire Charles Burrous abt 1824 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Head Sheffield Yorkshire Harry Burrous abt 1850 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire John Burrous abt 1847 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire Mary Burrous abt 1827 Sheffd, Yorkshire, England Wife Sheffield Yorkshire Yes, he did! Merry

This looks like their marriage... Marriages Mar 1851 Askham William Sheffield 22 506 BRUMMETT HANNAH SHEFFIELD 22 506 Clarke Sarah Sheffield 22 506 Littlewood George Sheffield 22 506 Loxley Emma Sheffield 22 506 Petty Isabella Sheffield 22 506 Saville Charles Whittaker Sheffield 22 506 Georgina.

Marriage: Marriages Mar 1851 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>Askham William Sheffield 22 506 BRUMMETT HANNAH SHEFFIELD 22 506 >>>>Clarke Sarah Sheffield 22 506 Littlewood George Sheffield 22 506 Loxley Emma Sheffield 22 506 Petty Isabella Sheffield 22 506 Saville Charles Whittaker Sheffield 22 506 Merry

I cannot tell you how gratetful I am for your help. Thank you so much. I have had no luck with this myself what so ever. Thanks Again. Michelle x

I'm just trying to see whether he ever reapears with the family before making any assumptions! 1891: Sarah Askham abt 1831 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Head Sheffield Yorkshire Harry Askham abt 1864 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire George H Askham abt 1873 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Son Sheffield Yorkshire On every census she says Married, not widow. Just trying 1901..... Merry

Michelle I am not very good with Yorkshire geography but there is this birth on the IGI... WILLIAM HEPPER ASKHAM Male Event(s): Birth: Christening: 09 MAR 1829 Saint Peter, Leeds, Yorkshire, England Death: Burial: Parents: Father: WILLIAM ASKHAM Mother: HANNAH And this death on freeBMD... Deaths Dec 1856 Askham William Hepper Hunslet 9b 135 Georgina.

Looks as if Sarah died before 1901: Name: Sarah Askham Birth Date: abt 1831 Year of Registration: 1898 Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec Age at death: 67 District: Sheffield County: South Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire Volume: 9c Page: 305 So......by 1871 her husband had vanished (but we haven't looked for him yet, so that might be a fluke......he might have been away for the night.....but by 1881 she has had one child with no father recorded, in 1873........(a bit more in a mo!) Merry

Leeds is not far from Sheffield so there could be something in this. I will dig a little deeper. Thank you for your help. Michelle

So.....your George was the only child we can see she had after 1871..........If it were me, I might buy the cert for the child before that (Fanny 1870) to see who her dad is recorded as..... I saw this death..... Name: William Askham Birth Date: abt 1829 Year of Registration: 1907 Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec Age at death: 78 District: Sheffield County: South Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire Volume: 9c Page: 378 If this isn't her William, then we need to try and find out who this is, to eliminate him. Merry