Maria Crocombe
Maria Crocombe (my third great grandmother) was born in 1795 in Challacombe, Devon. In 1818 at the age of 23 she gave birth to a boy Richard. She was unmarried at the time and so a Bastardy Order was made against the father John Blackmore, for upkeep. At that time the parish was responsible for the support of a child born illegitimately, the bastardy order seems to have been mainly a tool that the parish used to ensure payment for the child’s well being, not simply a punishment. In 1827 Maria married George Ash and had several children with him including my second great grandfather Jabez Ash. Richard Blackmore continued to live in the same village. At the age of 42 he was still unmarried and lived with Maria after George had died.
View the bastardy order here: