Always expect the unexpected!

[pinefamily]

In smaller parishes in different parts of England, I've seen "job lot" baptisms on several occasions.
I've often wondered if there was a fee attached for the service, or, being smaller parishes, perhaps there was a part-time vicar (vicar of more than one parish).

[andrewalston]

In smaller parishes in different parts of England, I've seen "job lot" baptisms on several occasions.
I've often wondered if there was a fee attached for the service, or, being smaller parishes, perhaps there was a part-time vicar (vicar of more than one parish).

Often the batching of children was because of a change of denomination, but I have come across occasions when a baby was being baptised and there has obviously been a comment along the lines of "Why have we not seen <list of toddlers> yet?"

Then I have a batch in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1818. The eldest of the children was 13, and it was her first visit to the mainland from Sable Island. Her younger four siblings visited the font at the same event.

[coombs]

I found a job lot baptism in 1792 in Felstead, Essex, of some of my Childs's ancestors and their siblings.

[pinefamily]

Talking of job lot baptisms has reminded me of another instance of expect the unexpected.
William Youatt, one of my colourful ancestors, was first a nonconformist minister in Chichester Sussex, and then later became a vet in London, and one of the founders of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. What was unexpected was to discover that his five daughters were all apparently conceived by surrogacy. It doesn't appear to have been an affair, as the birth mother of the children followed the family to London, and lived close by, giving birth to the younger four in London. One daughter lived with her non-birth mother until the latter's death.
Even more unexpected was finding the first two daughters' adult baptisms in 1843 in St Pancras, the middle one in 1843 in Manchester, and the younger two in 1844 in St Pancras. Why they chose to be baptized in the established church as adults when they did, I don't know.
Sadly, William Youatt committed suicide in 1847, depressed by financial debts.

[DianaCanada]

Talking of job lot baptisms has reminded me of another instance of expect the unexpected.
William Youatt, one of my colourful ancestors, was first a nonconformist minister in Chichester Sussex, and then later became a vet in London, and one of the founders of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. What was unexpected was to discover that his five daughters were all apparently conceived by surrogacy. It doesn't appear to have been an affair, as the birth mother of the children followed the family to London, and lived close by, giving birth to the younger four in London. One daughter lived with her non-birth mother until the latter's death.
Even more unexpected was finding the first two daughters' adult baptisms in 1843 in St Pancras, the middle one in 1843 in Manchester, and the younger two in 1844 in St Pancras. Why they chose to be baptized in the established church as adults when they did, I don't know.
Sadly, William Youatt committed suicide in 1847, depressed by financial debts.

Fascinating story!  How did you figure out the surrogacy bit?

[pinefamily]

I was given the information by a veterinary history researcher, who had researched William Youatt. Based on the records alone, it's hard to tell. The surrogate mother, Keziah Jones, was born not far from Chichester. Only the eldest girl was born in Chichester, the other four all in London. To have five children with the same woman over 13 years, in two different locations, suggests some form of arrangement. It's also telling that the girls lived with the Youatts, and not their birth mother. The Youatts had no children between them either.
William Youatt was a free thinker. He travelled through Napoleonic Europe, and wrote of his travels under a pseudonym. Quite entertaining reading.
I guess the situation could be interpreted either way, but based on everything above, I lean towards surrogacy, rather than simple illegitimacy. It's also interesting that when they were baptized, the girls all had the Youatt name, yet Keziah was listed as the mother. It doesn't seem they tried to hide it at all.

[pinefamily]

For those interested, William Youatt is apparently the real author of books written by Edmund Boyce. Several translations as well as the book described in my previous post.

[kob3203]

My aunt recalled that a particular Irish aunt of hers married somebody by the name of Jim Jacobs, but we found definitive evidence of my Irish great aunt's marriage to a Daniel Burns, and let it rest, assuming that my aunt's memory was playing tricks on her.

It was, but not in the way we thought. It turns out that my great aunt got a divorce (obviously not in Ireland) and got married a second time - to somebody called James Julian. So my aunt was correct that she married a JJ where both the Js were male given names.

One thing I've learnt - never rule out family stories even when you think they've been proven wrong !

[pinefamily]

Oh yes, most family stories have a kernel of truth.
I was told years ago that someone on my paternal side helped invent a very common medicine today. It turns out a first cousin of my great grandfather's worked for the Burroughs Pharmaceutical Company (later Burroughs Wellcome); as far as I know they invented Sudafed.