'Particular Baptists'

[TracyL]

I have just returned from a (long) trip to Stafford Records Office to try to find the Marks family I am researching from Princes End/Sedgley.

Having spent four hours looking for baptisms or marriages, we finally ended up at Walsall Archives Service and  discovered that the family were 'Particular Baptists' of the Goodall Street Chapel, Walsall, hence no parish records at all.

Does anyone have any information or knowledge of this church or it's doctrines?  Where could we find records of births, baptisms or marriages?  The chapel itself closed in 1918.

There were thirteen children in this family and the only record we were able to find was the burial record of the youngest daughter, aged five, in 1893.  The service was conducted by Alfred A Cole a minister of this 'Particular Baptist' Chapel and the child was buried in Queen's Street Cemetary in Walsall.

Any help would be appreciated.

Tracy

[kerryb]

Hi Tracy

You might find this site useful for understanding what they were about:

http://www.the-faith.org.uk/spb.html

Kerry

[TracyL]

Hi Kerry
Thank you for that - I have had a look, it's fairly hard going!  It does seem strange that with these strict religious beliefs that one daughter ended up marrying a publican and three daughters worked in pubs as barmaids and one daughter had at least two children that she gave up for adoption!

Do you think they were rebelling?
Tracy

[kerryb]

Tracy

I wouldn't say it was strange at all    My mum grew up in the Plymouth Brethren which is similar and it seemed quite normal to rebel against the restraints put on by parents, in my mum's time she wasn't allowed to wear mini skirts - evil seduction, go to cinemas, wear makeup and she did all of that.

I remember getting told off by my lovely gran for reading a book other than the bible on Sunday.  It was very strict!!

Kerry

[TracyL]

Kerry

Hope your Sunday fiction is more relaxed these day

Does anyone know if records exist for these chapels and how/where I would be able to access them?

I have been able to find birth registrations for 9 of the 13 children of this family, but can't find three (obviously including the one I really need!).  I also can't find a marriage for the one I am interested in (again - I can find others but not her).  I had hoped that Parish Records would reveal something, did Baptist Churches have similar records?

Steel doors at every turn
Tracy