Royston parish register question

[DebbieG]

Hi - it seems that Royston is fairly well covered in the IGI from the earliest surviving register dated 1663,  I am am interested in the Fryer family from there and have extracted all the entries for that surname,  however it looks strange I have 6 baptisms for 1663,  4 which took place on the 8th of August and 2 on the 20th December,  all for children of the same couple - James & Elizabeth. 

Can anyone help me with any info as to why this might have happened?  and/or does anyone have access to the registers or a good transcription which might have extra notes in such as ages,  judging from James's will in 1680 and a couple of apprenticeship records most of the people mentioned were born well before then.

Any advice would be appreciated

Debbie

[Aulus]

I've come across a few in my tree where they seem to have "saved up" children for baptism and done them together.  But never six in a year.

I sometimes wonder if vicars were the first to think of BOGOFs (Buy One Get One Free) 

One of my Suffolk lot even managed to be baptised twice, once privately and then later in church.  Might be something similar going on with your Fryers.

Might be interesting to see the original registers and see if there was a change of vicar a little while before the first batch were baptised.

[Rick]

Hi Debbie

It was not unusual for a clutch of children to be baptised in one go.  There were several reasons for this.  Finances for example, baptisms cost money.  It funds were tight, a family might put off baptising their children until pressured to do so by a persistant vicar.

To be married in the Anglican church it was necessary to be baptised and so it is was not unusual for baptisms to take place just before a marriage.

Very early registers do not usually give much extra information so the originals may not yield much of use, however, you may be lucky!

Rick

[DebbieG]

Hi - thanks for the replys,  It just just looks strange to me that it happened at the start of the earliest surviving register and I wondered if that was significant.  I don't think it was a case of not being able to afford it,  the father James was a Maltster and the family was comfortably off.

Debbie

[mrswoman]

Hi Debbie, was interested in your post as I used to live in Royston, being interested in local history, I bought quite a few books when I lived there.  Do you know where abouts your Fryer family lived, I could have a look and see if I can find anything on them in one of my books.  Best Wishes from mrswoman