Genealogy Chat

Some of you know I am doing some transcribing.I have come across a Walking woman,a wondering woman and a vagrant woman.We are talking about the 1500,s.Do you think they were pro,s or just tramps?I have also had what looks like a [the couner child].Any ideas would be welcome. Thank you Daphne

no one got any ideas? Daphne

I don't know for sure, but I would think they were tramps. Sue

Daphne Having come across several curiously-worded descriptions of people myself in the 1500s and 1600s, can I suggest: Walking woman - one who just happened to be walking through this Parish with the purpose of going somewhere else, when she (dropped dead? gave birth?) Wandering woman - a woman walking around with no apparent purpose or legal place of settlement, what we might call a Gypsy or Traveller now. Vagrant - definitely illegal, a vagrant was defined as someone who had no means of support and no right to be in the Parish and was viewed with deep suspicion. I doubt if any of the above were euphemisms for prostitute - all the early PRs I have seen are happy to clearly describe 'lewd women'. Olde Crone

Olde Crone, Not wishing to be flippant, but I had a grin when I read your reply to walking women, just imagining walking down the road and giving birth. Sue

Ah yes, but women didn't make so much FUSS in those days!!!! I have read lots of infanticide trial records (in most cases the women were found innocent and the babies were actually stillborn, but also illegitimate) and the mother had usually been able to conceal the pregnancy and then deliver the baby whilst carrying out her chores without anyone noticing.......It was only when the baby's body was found that anyone was any the wiser............. Also, what about women who carried on working and gave birth down a coal mine...... Rather them than me!! Pass me the gas and air......Aaaaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Merry (PS I read Olde Crone's message without looking to see who had written it, and thought, ''Sounds like Olde Crone'' - There's FAME!!)

Down a coal mine sounds horrendeous. Sue

Thank you.They all gave birth and one was buried.Base child or basted is written for some bapistims. I do wonder what life was like in rural Norfolk in 1500/1600 hundreds.No coal mines here. Thank you Daphne

The Victorian writer Thomas Carlyle had a maid who gave birth in a little back room off the parlour - no one knew she was pregnant.

Just found Carlyle's wife Jane's reference to a maid giving birth in the china closet while ‘Mr Carlyle was taking tea in the dining-room with Miss Jewsbury talking to him!!! Just a thin small door between!’ nell

Right, get a box of tissues.... In 1739 Jane Green was 'Found dead in a field, of childbed, unshriven' Also dead was 'Her bastard stillborn child'. Banns had been called in June but the marriage did not take place. She died in September. She was barely 19 years old. Olde Crone

OMG how sad is that.