Strange baptism in Henstridge Family History Local History

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Strange baptism in Henstridge

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Topic: Strange baptism in Henstridge (Read 313 times)

Redroger
RootsChat Aristocrat

Posts: 2277

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Strange baptism in Henstridge
« on: Monday 06 April 09 13:03 UTC (UK) »

In 1777 on the Henstridge there is a baptism which reads as follows: John Luffman (the surname Luffman is crossed through) base son of Betty Meechard. Just above the entry is another baptism for a son John to the same mother, this time with no father's surname. I sought guidance from the staff on duty in the Somerset Record Office, and was told: This is two separate baptisms for two different people. The deletion of a surname in the baptism of a bastard was a device used by the minister to signify that he knew who the father was though it was not admitted by the mother. Has anyone seen this elsewhere, or have any further information on it?


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Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

dee-jay
RootsChat Senior

Posts: 435

Re: Strange baptism in Henstridge
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 07 June 09 10:59 UTC (UK) »

Did you take the time to have a look at burials for the corresponding period? It is unusual for a single mother to use the same Christian name if both sons survived.

I've not heard of deliberate insertions with deletions to indicate putative fathers, and I doubt that anyone could be sure when and by whom such a deletion was made in a PR. I can understand a deletion if a mother's allegation for paternity is strongly refuted or if the Parish Clerk made an entry of which the Vicar disapproved. I note from the SRO online catalogue that Bishop's Transcripts are not held for Henstridge for this period so unfortunately it is not possible to check copy entries as then submitted.


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SOM/Chard/Combe St Nicholas: Dean[e]/Doble/Jeffery/Burt; DEV/Yarcombe: Dean/Gill/Every;
BRK/Newbury: Westall/Green/Lewis/Canning; WIL/Allcannings: Hiscock/Amor; HAM/Kingsclere: Martin/Hiscock/Westall; WAR/Marton/Bubbenhall: Glenn/Holmes; STS/Yoxall/Hamstall Ridware/Barton-u-Needwood: Holmes/Dainty; STS/Brewood/Codsall/Penkridge/Hatherton: Dean[e]; GLA/Aberdare: Dean/Dane

Census information: Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Redroger
RootsChat Aristocrat

Posts: 2277

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Re: Strange baptism in Henstridge
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 07 June 09 15:02 UTC (UK) »

Thanks for your reply dee-jay,there were no Meechard, Meatyard or Meteyard etc. burials around this time. I was advised by the staff at SRO that this was a device used by the vicar to "finger" the putative father, and I have seen the same thing in another early register, this time in Dorset. It has also been suggested that the name was crossed out when the father named contested the paternity vigorously in an attempt to avoid payment. I do not thing it was so in this case, as the mother Betty Meatyard had several illegitimate children in surrounding villages over a period of years, and only ever claimed for one!
I am puzzled that the RO say they do not have the BT's for this period as the LDS certainly have them on microfilm, and both baptisms are there, but with no mention of the deleted surname.


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Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

dee-jay
RootsChat Senior

Posts: 435

Re: Strange baptism in Henstridge
« Reply #3 on: Monday 08 June 09 09:19 UTC (UK) »

The SRO Online Catalogue gives 2 references:
D\D/rr/199 Bishop's transcripts for Henstridge. 1605-1683
D\D/rra/199 Bishop's transcripts for Henstridge. 1814-1822

If they do hold those for 1777 it would be interesting to hear what information was submitted in this particular case.

I know I'd prefer to see such deletions than the holes where sections have been cut out of the PRs, as for one of 'my' Wiltshire parishes. Unfortunately such editing affects records on both sides of the sheets and few BTs are extant to supply missing entries. Roll Eyes

However, when it came to post-1837 marriage certificates, I was pleasantly surprised to find that claims of paternity of illegitimate parties was not censored.


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Redroger
RootsChat Aristocrat

Posts: 2277

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Re: Strange baptism in Henstridge
« Reply #4 on: Monday 08 June 09 15:10 UTC (UK) »

I have noticed before that there are some omissions in the SRO catalogue, can't think of any apart from the one under discussion, but I have found various BMDs there which they say they haven't got, could have been Henstridge on reflection.


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Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

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