I have the birth certificate of John Gate Hoggarth, my grandfather,born November 2, 1878,in Ireby, Low Village,Cumberland ,England. His mother, Mary Hoggarth, a domestic servant, has not listed the father. The registration district is Wigton, sub-district of Caldbeck. I cannot find a baptismal certificate. Perhaps the actual birth registration would help. This info is vital in order to fit the pieces together.
Mary is listed on the 1891 census, Rg12-4294 Folio 6, Orton,Cum. as single, grocer,Cum, born in Ainstable. John, 12, is a scholar. We cannot find Mary on the 190l census.
Perhaps there are some cousins of Mary who could shed light on this missing info.I would welcome any other history from this family.
Thanks, Isabel

The baptism certificate is unlikely to help you. It will probably say John Gates Hoggarth illegitimate son of Mary Hoggarth. The fact that no father is mentioned on the birth certificate means he was illegitimate.

It's quite likely the absent father was called GATE, possibly John GATE. There were several of them around.

There's always a chance that the baptism register would name the father. It happened with some of mine.