Background Reading

There are three incidents of adoption and illegitimacy in the TEVELEIN, BATES and GIBBENS families, occuring in the 19th Centery and each lends itself to further research. The background reading that I found useful in this connexion was: 

• "DNA and Family History" by Chris Pomery, published by The National Archives.
• "My Ancestor was a Bastard" by Ruth Paley, published by Society of Genealogists Enterprises Ltd.
• "Illegitimacy" by Eve McLaughlin, published by Varneys Press.

The Projects

All three lives involve adoption and the last two both have middle surnames that may guide research, The three stories span the years 1817 to 1900, from the reign of George IV to the end of the Victorian period.

1. Prudence GARTH
The story of Prudence Garth's birth, adoption and apprenticship, before emegrating to Australia, is documented in Research Notes Contributed by Lyn Hoare.

2. James Jones BATES
My grandfather James Bates born 1864 was adopted into his grandparents' family. This is documented in "Bates Notes" and "My DNA". It is hoped the middle name "Jones" is a clue to his male ancestry and that my YDNA test will help.

3. Anniss GIBBENS née Jones
Arthur GIBBENS born 1862 married Anniss Vernon JONES, who had been adopted by the INMAN family when 10mths old and was born to Mary Elizabeth JONES in 1900 in Dover, Kent. Documentation will be added shortly.