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Tuesday 14 January 2014

52 Ancestors: 3 - John Danson. Father of a Bastard Child

52ancestorsAmy at No Story Too Small has come up with a new challenge for 2014 - to write a post  each week on a specific ancestor.  

John Danson, the eldest son of my great, great, great  grandparents - Henry Danson and Elizabeth Brown of Carleton, Lancashire, was the Black Sheep of my Danson family - as evidenced in  this document which I was delighted to find at at Lancashire Record Office.

 For John,  In 1810 at the age of 21, was served with an affiliation order ordering him to contribute to the upkeep of his “said bastard child”  - a daughter by Ann Butler of Marton.   The poor child was repeatedly given this tag in the document below which  is fascinating on its choice of language:
“Ann Butler, single woman, was upon the 27th day of August last, delivered of a female bastard child in the said township of Marton…and that John Danson, husbandman of Carleton did begot the said bastard on her body and is the father of the same.

Thereupon, we order… for the better relief of the said township…and the sustenance and relief of the said bastard child…John Danson pay unto the churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor…the sum of One Pound Eighteen Shillings for and towards the charges and expenses incident to the birth…further sum of four shillings towards the cost of apprehending and securing the said John Danson….the sum of Two Shillings weekly…towards the keeping, sustenance and maintenance of the said bastard child”.

In 1810, £1 18s 0d would have the same spending power of today's £131. with 2s 0d being worth today  £6.88  (- not much for bringing up a child! (http://www.measuringworth.com)



Unfortunately I have been unable to trace anything further on this story.  John Danson died in 1836, aged 46, as far as I know unmarried,  and he predeceased his father Henry by three years.  

Does anyone have any thoughts  where I could turn to next?  


Copyright © 2014 · Susan Donaldson.  All Rights Reserved

Take a look at earlier postings in this series

1. Alice English (1884-1945) - A Brick Wall at My Grandmother
2. Edith Danson (1907 -1885) - My Feisty Aunt


1 comment:

  1. Have you tried to find if she remarried, or looked for the child's marriage, though Butler would be tricky to trace. Parish registers if she didn't move might just do the job.

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