what is a "base" daughter on a parish record of a christening please?

[garstonite]

Good morning all....can someone tell me what a Base Daughter is please???...just read it on a 1760`s christening on www.lan-opc.org.uk
allan:confused:

[Phoenix]

Born out of wedlock - illegitimate.

I take it father, if mentioned, doesn't have same surname as mother?

[garstonite]

Born out of wedlock - illegitimate.

I take it father, if mentioned, doesn't have same surname as mother?

that`s interesting...thank you....mother was MRS Isabella *******
so does that mean the husband wasn`t dead....I thought he`d died before the birth....evidently not....NO FATHER MENTIONED...thanks very much Phoenix....allan:eek:

[Olde Crone]

Allan

It means that everyone, including the Vicar, knew this child was not the child of her husband, whether he was dead or alive, lol!

OC

[Joy Dean]

And sometimes people called themselves Mrs even if they weren't married :)

[Phoenix]

I can't remember when the fashions changed, but I think in the early eighteenth century women of good status were referred to as Mistress, whether or not they were married (though in Clarissa, written in 1747, everyone is referring to her as Miss - which may be adaptor's licence as I've not read the book)

Isabella may have been a bad girl, but she came of a good family.