Baptised Twice

[a chesters]

Could someone please explain why someone would be baptised twice?

On 22 March 1855 Sarah Ann Waterhouse was baptised at All Saints, Elton, Bury. Parents were John and Alice Waterhouse, living at Cockey Lane, and he was a labourer.

On 7 Nov 1882 Sarah Ann Waterhouse was baptised at St Stevens Church, Elton Bury. Daughter of John and Alice Waterhouse, living in Elton. He was a block printer. Also noted on the baptism register was that she was now the wife of Aaron Pilling, a joiner of Elton.

In December 1882, she died, and was buried on 20 Dec 1882 at All Saints Elton.

Sarah Ann and Aaron were married at All Saints on 31 July 1875, and had two children, James bn 1877, and Elizabeth Ann, bn 1880.

Why would she be baptised a second time, at a different church?

Any ideas would be greatfully received.

A Chesters

[Brentor boy]

Perhaps she was unsure that she had been baptised and, in anticipation of her imminent demise, wanted to make certain her status was confirmed in readiness for her entry into the afterlife.

[Marmalady]

What were the denominations of the two churches?

Maybe she converted from one denomination to another and wished to be baptised into the new one

CoE to Catholic
CoE to Non-Conformist

etc

[heywood]

Hello,
Where did you find the 1882 baptism? The ones I see finish in March 1882. I was wondering if there were several at the same - perhaps a mission or something.
If not, perhaps as said already, she was ill and wasn't sure whether she was baptised or not.

Heywood

Added: ignore that- I see it now and no evidence of multiple adult baptisms!

[Pegasuss]

As Marmalady said, could be mixed denomination situation.

In may tree I have a whole family of children that were baptised twice, their father was CofE & had the baptised accordingly, but (when He was at work) his wife & brother in law took the children to an RC church to get them registered there.

[heywood]

They are both C o E and close to each other.
Sarah Ann was buried at the first church which was perhaps her parental parish.

[a chesters]

Thank you all for your interest and help.

The one thing I had not thought about, brentor boy and heywood brought up, that she was not sure about being baptised originally.

I had assumed that both were C of E, but had not checked if they were so Marmalady and Pegasuss were right to query the possibility of mixed denomination. My only defense there was trying to sort everything out at once.

Again many thanks for your help

AC

[lancaster.jim]

You ask about Sarah Ann WATERHOUSE who was baptised 'twice'.  The first time at All Saints, Elton, in 1855, and then in 1882 at St Stephen's, Elton.  All Saints, Elton was established ca 1840 to serve the Elton Township on the west side of Bury and St Stephen's was established in about 1870 as a daughter school chapel about half a mile further west to ensure that a Board School was not established in the area.

The graveyard at All Saints, Elton, was the principal graveyard in Elton.

Possible reasons for the second 'baptism' are (1) her wanting to be confirmed and not being sure of her baptism or (2) her being seriously ill and in danger of death and her family not being sure she was baptised.  The latter has been suggested by Brentor Boy and is the more likely in view of  her death in December 1882.

The extracts of the baptism Registers that I have show -

All Saints, Elton, Bury.  Sarah Ann Waterhouse dau of John and Alice Waterhouse, of Cockey Lane, Labourer born 10-Mar 1855 bapt 22-Mar 1855

St Stephen's, Elton, Bury.  Sarah Ann Waterhouse dau of John and Alice Waterhouse and now wife of Aaron Pilling, of Peers St, Elton, Block Printer/Jnr   born 10-Mar 1855 bapt 06-Nov 1882

I have not seen the original entries.

As has been said, Sarah Ann married Aaron PILLING in All Saints in 1875 and there were three children of this marriage all baptised at All Saints -

Name      Father   Mother      Born      Baptised
James   Pilling   Aaron   Sarah Ann   18-Jun   1876   14-Jul   1876
Jesse   Pilling   Aaron   Sarah Ann   16-Jun   1878   24-Aug   1878
Elizabeth Alice   Pilling   Aaron   Sarah Ann  18-Dec 1880   19-Mar   1881

The middle child, Jesse, was buried in All Saints graveyard 3 Dec 1878 aged 5 months.

Sarah Ann was also buried in the same grave on 20 Dec 1882, aged 27years.  There does not appear to be a memorial stone on this grave, nor any other burials in this grave.

ASE   2174      1328      Sarah Ann   Pilling      Elton   B   20-Dec   1882   27   1855

It is possible that Sarah Ann MIGHT have died as the result of problems in pregnancy - though that is a guess.  Obtaining her death certificate will show the official cause of death


There is an entry in Lancashirebmd (http://lancashirebmd.org.uk/cgi/deathind.cgi ) that could be your Aaron

Lancashire Death indexes for the years: 1923
Surname, Forename(s); Age; Sub-District, Registers At; Reference
PILLING   Aaron              70      Elton   Bury                    ELT/40/14

This person is not buried in All Saints graveyard.

Hope this helps

Jim Lancaster (Bury, Lancs.)

[Gardener]

But her mother Alice was still alive in 1891 - you would have thought that she would know about the first baptism? Assuming that they were talking ;-)