How would you investigate an 1810 Devon “base child” with a rumoured aristocratic father?
I’m trying to test a family tradition and would really appreciate advice from anyone familiar with Devon parish records, bastardy or poor-law records, estate papers, or Quarter Sessions.
The family rumour is that William Allen / Allin, born in Holsworthy, Devon in 1810, was the illegitimate son of Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope.
The first hard record I have is the Holsworthy baptism return. William appears on 18 February 1810 as:
>“William base child of Mary Allin (Priv: rec’d March 11)”
The note beside the entry says he was privately baptised and received into church on 11 March 1810. No father is named.
Family tradition says William’s mother, Mary Allen / Allin, worked as a servant for Charles Stanhope. I do not have proof of that. One later family-history account says she worked at Chevening House, but I have not found any primary evidence that Mary ever left Holsworthy for Kent.
The reason I am still taking the rumour seriously is that Charles Stanhope was not only connected to Chevening House in Kent. He also had a real connection to Soldon Manor / Holsworthy, Devon. When I mapped Soldon Manor against Mary’s approximate Holsworthy location, they were only about 6.9 km / 4.3 miles apart.
I have contacted Devon Archives. They confirmed that the main Holsworthy parish collection is where surviving Overseers’ records would normally be expected, but unfortunately there do not appear to be relevant surviving Overseers’ records for this period. They suggested the remaining Devon legal lead is Quarter Sessions Order Books and Estreat Books, and I have requested a search around late 1809 to early 1811.
I have also contacted Kent Archives about the Stanhope of Chevening Manuscripts, especially the Holsworthy estate papers, accounts, correspondence, estate records, household accounts, servant wage books, rentals, agent correspondence, solicitor papers, or payment records.
My questions are:
- Are there other Devon record sets I should check for an illegitimate child born in Holsworthy in 1810, given that Overseers’ records may not survive?
- Would a case like this always create a bastardy examination or maintenance order, or could support have been arranged privately and leave no parish trace?
- If Mary worked for a Stanhope-connected household or estate, would she be more likely to appear in household accounts, estate accounts, wage books, agent correspondence, or rentals?
- Are there any other places I should look for evidence of a later payment or support arrangement, especially if the family tradition says William may have been “paid off” before emigrating to New Zealand?
I know the rumour is not proven, and I’m trying not to force it. I’m trying to identify the records that could prove, weaken, or disprove it.
Any suggestions would be very welcome.