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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cambridgeshire => Topic started by: wayne69 on Friday 07 September 12 19:15 BST (UK)
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Hello,
A relative of mine was baptised in Wisbech in 1837. She was an adult, this was normal for baptists. Does anyone know where adult Baptists were baptized in the Wisbech area around this time? All help will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Wayne
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You never know, an email or a letter to the current Church might bring you answers: http://www.wisbechbaptistchurch.org.uk/
Genuki offers a gateway to this sort of information - see here for Wisbech and follow among other things the links to "nearby places" http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CAM/Wisbech/
And as ever the local studies people will be able to help, see http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/leisure/archives/researchers/Cambridgeshirefamilyhistorysources.htm
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What's the source for the adult baptism in 1837? Doesn't it say where she was baptised? What was her name?
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You will be aware that the Baptist Church only baptises adults by Total Immersion. Since not all Baptist churches incorporate "Baptistries", a large bath like area usually covered except when a Baptismal service is taking place, and situated at the front of the church, in coastal areas the sea is sometimes used as a Baptistry. I wonder if Baptisms at Wisbech were in fact done in the local river, or possibly carried out at a church in the general vicinity.
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If I remember correctly I think there was possibly three places in Wisbech where your relative could have been baptised.
Wisbech Baptist Ship Lane
Wisbech General Baptists
Wisbech Baptist Chapel Ely Place
Regards Lyne
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If I remember correctly I think there was possibly three places in Wisbech where your relative could have been baptised.
Wisbech Baptist Ship Lane
Wisbech General Baptists
Wisbech Baptist Chapel Ely Place
Regards Lyne
But did they all have Baptistries?
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From memory, there were quite a lot of mass baptisms in rivers in 19th century Cambridgeshire.
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Which seems to support my point, thanks Robbo.
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I've just been going through the records of Haddenham Baptist Church and they were certainly baptising in the river at this time-the records even say which bit of the river in some cases.
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Probably internal and heated Baptistries are more recent innovations to cater for present day softies. Although, there are recent (last 30 years) instances at Scarborough of Baptisms in the sea, and the church there has a Baptistry.
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The present baptist church in Haddenham opened in 1905 does have a baptistry under the floor at the front. I'm pretty sure that the original chapel built in about 1817 didn't have one.
Some non-conformist records for Cambridgeshire are avaliable on CD but not sure if they include baptisms.
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The date fits well enough with two other Baptist churches I have attended with my wife with have Baptistries, i.e Chequer Road Doncaster built 1910, Ebenezer Baptist Scarborough, I think also 1910.
Strangely High St. Boston founded around 1650, current building 1838 on the same site has a Baptistry, but since it is on the bank of the then heavily polluted river Witham that may account for it.