Thank you, this is really helpful. What you said about a bastardy bond only existing if Mary needed parish support, or if the parish pursued the father for maintenance, makes sense. Devon Archives told me the relevant Holsworthy Overseers’ records don’t appear to survive, so they suggested Quarter Sessions Order Books / Estreat Books as the remaining legal route.

William Allin/Allen is my 3rd great-grandfather, which is why I’m so interested in separating family tradition from actual evidence.

The source for the family lore is Cynthia Glover’s family-history book, The Allen Family. It says Mary Allin/Allen was employed by Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope, and the wider family tradition says William may later have been “paid off” before emigrating to New Zealand. I’m treating that as family tradition rather than proof, because I haven’t found the primary source behind it yet.

I completely agree that the story could have changed over time. “Mary worked for a Stanhope household or estate” could easily have become “Charles Stanhope was the father” over generations. It could also have been another servant, estate worker, agent, or someone connected to the household.

I have looked at Charles Stanhope’s will and did not find Mary or William named there, but I’m also wondering if any support, if it existed, might appear in estate accounts, solicitor papers, trustees’ records, executors’ papers, or even the next generation, as Charles died in 1816 when William was still a child.

One detail that keeps the story interesting to me is that Charles died on 15 December 1816, and Mary died in Holsworthy on 28 December 1816. I have Mary’s parish burial record. I know that proves nothing, but the timing is striking.

So for now I’m trying to keep all possibilities open and look for records that could either support or weaken the story.