Were baptisms always in a church/chapel?

[MacGrigor]

Hello,

I remember a member of RootsChat telling me a few years ago that in Scotland, marriages were not necessarily in the parish church, but could be done in a house, for example. I was wondering, would this apply to baptisms in Scotland too? I’d have thought with the font etc they’d have to be done in a church.

For England, I presume all marriages have to be done in a church, to sign the marriage register. I assume it’s the same for baptisms. Would it be for private baptisms too? If a child is particularly sickly, would they have to take them all the way to church?

Adam

[dowdstree]

Hi Adam,

Can't speak for England but in Scotland Baptisms could be carried out in a house.

I was Baptised in my gran's front room on 6th December 1946. The weather was not good and I had a cold so the Church of Scotland minister came to the house. I was a 8 weeks old and we had travelled from Edinburgh to Dundee for the occasion.

Dorrie

[JenB]

My grandparents were Primitive Methodists living in County Durham.
In the late 1900’s and 1920’s all their children were baptised at home, which was apparently fairly common.
They had their own little font, which is now in my possession.

[GR2]

I was baptised in my grandparents' home with a sugar bowl as a font. It was always brought out for that purpose.

In general, if a child was baptised on a Sunday, there is a fair probability the baptism was in the kirk. On any other day of the week, it is more likely that it happened at home.

[Gan Yam]

For England, I presume all marriages have to be done in a church, to sign the marriage register.

Adam

You could/can get married in Register Office since 1837 and now you can also get married in a place that is licenced for weddings (eg a hotel), this is fairly recent, but not sure exact date.

[Jebber]

Anyone could baptise a sickly child at home, it was often done by the midwife. If the child survived they would later be received into the church, which is the second part of the baptism.

[Kiltpin]

The Church of England accepts as legitimate any baptism performed by any Christian, at any time and in any place.   

Regards 

Chas

[bodger]

Myself  and a neighbours daughter were baptised at an open air  prayer meeting by a preacher on horseback 1937/8 at Woodroyd nr Huddersfield

[Retriever]

My gtgrandmother was brought over from Ireland when six weeks old. Unfortunately that is all I know.

She married in an Anglican Church in London but I have been unable to find a single baptism for the resulting children.

This post has me wondering if they were all baptised at home, the last being mid 1880s.