Manchester University Press
5 Simple acts of justice
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Ginger S. Frost
Abstract
The English prided themselves on their low illegitimacy rate, the result, many believed, of the fact that England did not allow legitimation upon the marriage of the parents and also restricted women's ability to get support. The government was determined to refuse to accept children with British fathers and foreign mothers; these children had no claim on British nationality. Women's and workers' groups centred on bastardy laws, but child savers and MPs argued for more legal rights for the children. In addition, the Six Points Group (SPG) and the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (NUSEC) lobbied for better laws on bastardy and illegitimacy. The Legitimacy Act of 1926 was a welcome change. In 1927 alone, 5,495 children went through the process of re-registration. The passage of the Legitimacy Act offered an opportunity to reform the laws of nationality for legitimated persons.
Abstract
The English prided themselves on their low illegitimacy rate, the result, many believed, of the fact that England did not allow legitimation upon the marriage of the parents and also restricted women's ability to get support. The government was determined to refuse to accept children with British fathers and foreign mothers; these children had no claim on British nationality. Women's and workers' groups centred on bastardy laws, but child savers and MPs argued for more legal rights for the children. In addition, the Six Points Group (SPG) and the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (NUSEC) lobbied for better laws on bastardy and illegitimacy. The Legitimacy Act of 1926 was a welcome change. In 1927 alone, 5,495 children went through the process of re-registration. The passage of the Legitimacy Act offered an opportunity to reform the laws of nationality for legitimated persons.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vi
- Introduction 1
- 1 ‘Strangers in the blood’ 14
- 2 ‘The workhouse or death’ 49
- 3 Part of the family? 79
- 4 Courts of last resort 109
- 5 Simple acts of justice 146
- 6 Love and loss 179
- 7 ‘Passed from hand to hand’ 204
- 8 ‘Bad blood’? 238
- Conclusion 266
- Bibliography 276
- Index 292
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vi
- Introduction 1
- 1 ‘Strangers in the blood’ 14
- 2 ‘The workhouse or death’ 49
- 3 Part of the family? 79
- 4 Courts of last resort 109
- 5 Simple acts of justice 146
- 6 Love and loss 179
- 7 ‘Passed from hand to hand’ 204
- 8 ‘Bad blood’? 238
- Conclusion 266
- Bibliography 276
- Index 292
