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Author Topic: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?  (Read 3575 times)

Offline janeeliza999

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Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:27 GMT (UK) »
Can anyone think of a reason why there would be a gap of almost 7 months between a birth and a baptism? My 3x great grandfather was born 16th October 1846 ( I have the birth cert) and baptised 4th April 1847? Birth reg Prescot sub district Huyton. Baptism St Mary the Virgin, Prescot.
Thanks
Jane
Naylor Sankey/Warrington
Stout  Chester/Warrington
Slater  Warrington/Liverpool
Yearsley  Norley
Dredge  Wiltshire
Woods   Cuerdley
Savage  Warrington

Offline avm228

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:31 GMT (UK) »
I don’t find it notably long.  Perhaps he was a robust baby whose family was not in fear of his dying, so there wasn’t any particular urgency.  Perhaps they just weren’t the most enthusiastic or regular churchgoers.

I recently read an academic study correlating increasing age at baptism in the 19th century with falling rates of infant mortality. Quite interesting.
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline janeeliza999

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:35 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for your reply.
I never thought that maybe they didnt go to church....
lol
Naylor Sankey/Warrington
Stout  Chester/Warrington
Slater  Warrington/Liverpool
Yearsley  Norley
Dredge  Wiltshire
Woods   Cuerdley
Savage  Warrington

Offline avm228

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:38 GMT (UK) »
Maybe they didn’t go to church much in the winter, and started again when the weather was milder in the spring!  I suppose you’ll never know.  But I think it is a mistake to assume, as many do, that religious observance was a priority for all Victorian families.
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline avm228

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:41 GMT (UK) »
Where did they live in relation to the church?
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline janeeliza999

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:53 GMT (UK) »
As far as I know they lived in Huyton and Prescot was neighbouring.
Naylor Sankey/Warrington
Stout  Chester/Warrington
Slater  Warrington/Liverpool
Yearsley  Norley
Dredge  Wiltshire
Woods   Cuerdley
Savage  Warrington

Offline avm228

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 07 March 19 22:57 GMT (UK) »
Is there not a more specific address on the birth certificate? It is not my area so I don’t know how far that would have been, but if it was a long distance then it is entirely possible they didn’t bother in the rain/snow/mud of the winter.
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline janeeliza999

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 07 March 19 23:09 GMT (UK) »
It just says Huyton on the cert. In 1841 his mother, Ann, was with her family at Village, Wheat Sheaf, Huyton,Prescot Lancs. Sounds like a pub. In 1851 just Village. In 1849 his mother had gone. She married in 1849. He was on the 1851 census as 4yrs old. Grandson. Pretty sure he was illegitimate
Naylor Sankey/Warrington
Stout  Chester/Warrington
Slater  Warrington/Liverpool
Yearsley  Norley
Dredge  Wiltshire
Woods   Cuerdley
Savage  Warrington

Offline lancsann

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Re: Why the long wait between birth and baptism?
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 07 March 19 23:12 GMT (UK) »
It must have been a noisy day.

There were 18 baptisms on 4th April 1847. which was Easter Sunday. (and 14 on Christmas Day)

Maybe the mother could only get the statuary Holy days off work

AS it only names a mother he would have been 'baseborn'
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