There is a long history of concern of support of children conceived outside marriage as these children were more likely to need financial assistance. There were many laws enacted from the 1500s about who was able to claim assistance, how this was provided and the records that needed to be kept.
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Comments (1)
That was very good! Unfortunately the County Records offices in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire have very little illegitimacy records for the late 1700's but I will have to investigate "Church court records" mentioned in the Q/A.