Question about Non-Conformist Faith

[ian-nz]

I am hoping someone can answer this question for me please.

My GGGGrandparents Thomas Silvester and Sarah Atkin had three children.
Charles William Silvester baptised 26 May 1816 in Bethnal Green
Sarah Elizabeth Silvester baptised 28 February 1819 in Bethnal Green
Thomas Silvester baptised 3 August 1825 in St Botolph Without Algate

Thomas is my GGGrandfather and I have all the information I need on him. Charles and Sarah I cannot find any trace of in any of the census so think they died young. I have found two deaths on the Non-Conformist Record Index for a burial for Sarah Sylvester on the 19 November 1819 in Bethnal Green and Charles Selvester on the 5 January 1825 at Clerkenwell. No ages given.

What I am hoping someone can answer for me is if a child was from a family of the Non-Conformist faith would they have been baptised?

Pauline

[andycand]

Hi Pauline

Have you checked the actual parish register to see exactly what it says? I know that Church of Scotland Parishes were supposed to record events of other faiths that took place within the Parish, I have a couple of relatives baptised United Presbyterian that were recorded in the Parish Registers as well, and I think the Church of England was also supposed to do that at one stage.

Andy

[Newey]

If my memory serves me right (and it doesn't very often these days) Jews and Quakers were able to keep their own records and were not forced to use the Church of England for baptisms etc.

[Craclyn]

There are several different types of non-conformist. My family were Methodist. In the period before Methodist churches were sufficiently established to do baptisms I have found their baptisms in various places. Some in the parish church appearing in the normal register. some appearing in a register of Dissenters. Some in the nearest Presbyterian church.

Just means you may have to widen your search both in terms of denomination and geographically.

[andycand]

If my memory serves me right (and it doesn't very often these days) Jews and Quakers were able to keep their own records and were not forced to use the Church of England for baptisms etc.

Certainly until 1898 only Church of England, Jewish and Quaker marriages were recognised which is why non-conformists such as Catholic marriages are recorded as Civil Marriages after July 1837, but non-conformists could certainly conduct their own baptisms.

Where ther is a puzzle such as in this topic it is best to look at the original registers to see exactly what they say.

Andy

[ian-nz]

Thank you all for your replies.

So it is possible these two deaths are my Charles and Sarah. I just need to search further.

Tomorrow I will order some credits a look at the original records.

Will let you know if I find any further information. 

Pauline

[Lydart]

What I am hoping someone can answer for me is if a child was from a family of the Non-Conformist faith would they have been baptised?

Baptism wasn't and isn't compulsory in any of the branches of the Christian church; as now, families would have decided whether or not, and when, to have a child baptised.  But in the past, a non baptised person wouldn't have been buried inside the churchyard, and that was enough then to ensure baptism !   

But strict non-conformist familes, and their churches, had different options to the C of E, and you really need to do more searching fo the records.   

[behindthefrogs]

The various non-conformist denominations had different views about baptism.  This varies from the Quakers who did not believe in physical baptism, through the baptists who believed baptism should be of adults, to the methodists, congregationals and others whose practices were much closer to those of the Church of England and Roman Catholics.

Incidently all of these belong to the Christian Faith and are just different denominations that reflect variations in their beliefs.  They are not different faiths.

In the early 19th century and before the poor laws required proven affiliation to a parish and this mitigated towards even non-conformists having their children baptised in the parish church.  That said, you will find many other denominations having records of baptisms going back a number of centuries.

[Melbell]

If my memory serves me right (and it doesn't very often these days) Jews and Quakers were able to keep their own records and were not forced to use the Church of England for baptisms etc.

Certainly until 1898 only Church of England, Jewish and Quaker marriages were recognised which is why non-conformists such as Catholic marriages are recorded as Civil Marriages after July 1837, but non-conformists could certainly conduct their own baptisms.

Where ther is a puzzle such as in this topic it is best to look at the original registers to see exactly what they say.


This is not correctly expressed. In 1837 civil marriages were introduced, and it also became legal to be married in RC and Non-Conformist churches - but these marriages took place after civil preliminaries and were registered by a civil registrar (although the couple were married by the priest/minister).  in 1898 these churches were allowed (if they wished) to have their own "registrars" called Appointed Persons to register the marriages, look after the registers etc.  This arrangement still applies, but some marriages continue to be registered (not conducted) in church/other places of worship by civil registrars.  They are still valid 'religious' marriages.

Melbell.

Andy