I have found a birth on Scotlandspeople for:- Thomas Alexander Forbes, born 8th April 1872 in Aberlady, East Lothian, Midlothian, Illegitimate. Mother's name is given as Jessie Forbs, domestic servant. But.....also found this Pursuer - Janet Forbes or Whitecross, Domestic Servant, Aberlady, Haddington Defender - Thomas Mitchell, Journeyman Baker, 79 St Andrew Street, Leith Child's Date of Birth - 8 April 1872 Sex - F Year Extract Issued - 1873 Sheriff Court - Edinburgh County - Midlothian There isn't a birth for a female, only a male. In 1881 Young Thomas is with Janet Forbes, who is a housekeeper in Aberlady. No relationship shown. In 1891 he is with his Aunt Jessie, laundress, who is also single, still in Aberlady. Thomas is a Mason. On Thomas's birth certificate, written in the margin, is:- "See register of corrected entries Vol 1 Page 14" dated 3rd May 1873. Is there a way of seeing these corrected entries?
Apparently, yes. Take a look at this research guide: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/resea...arriage-records/register-of-corrected-entries
So Thomas Mitchell was found to be the father. Extract "In an action relating to the paternity of a child named Thomas Alexander Forbes, born 8th April 1872, at the instance of Janet Forbes or Whitecross, residing at Aberlady, against Thomas D Mitchell, Journeyman baker, 79, St. Andrews Street, Leith, the Sherriff's Court of Mid Lothian, on the 10th day of April 1873, found that the said child was the illegitimate child of the parties aforesaid." But what I don't understand is on the birth certificate the mother is given as Jessie, but on the legal documents it is given as Janet. Unless Janet was really Jessie ?
In Scotland, these names are interchangeable - rather like Jane and Jennie in England, my grandmother being an example of this.
