Baptised in two different parishes on the same day ?

[Pilgarlic]

Hello

I recently found that a sister of one of my ancestors was baptised in two separate neighbouring parishes on the same day in 1727. The two parishes were Reculver and Hoath in Kent.

Would anyone have any opinions on why this would be ?

Pilgarlic

[Linda_J]

Hi

I have found this once before.
One baptism was held in a church nearest the fathers family and the second baptism at a church nearest to the mothers family. Even though the places where fairly near to each other, I have to guess that elderly members of the families couldn't travel so possibly this was arranged so no one would miss out.

Linda

[Pilgarlic]

Thanks Linda

Yes that would make sense wouldn't it. The two churches are less than 4 miles apart i notice.
If you are right, i guess the mother would of come from the Hoath Parish seeing as i know the father was from Reculver. I will search the Hoath register for the mothers baptism next time i visit Canterbury.

Pilgarlic

[stanmapstone]

As far as the Church of England is concerned you should not have a second baptism, unless the Parish Priest was deliberately kept in ignorance of the first one, or the first baptism was not lawful.
The first question asked at the Public Baptism of Infants in the Book of Common Prayer is "Hath this Child been already Baptized, or no?". Only if the answer is 'no' can the baptism continue.
If the Child were baptized by any other lawful Minister, then the Minister of the Parish shall examine those that bring the Child to the Church to determine whether the Child be lawfully baptized or no. If all things were done, as they ought to be, then he shall not baptise the Child again.


The Book of Common Prayer, authorised by the 1662 Act of Uniformity, was the authority on this matter.

Stan

[PaulineJ]

If it was on the IGI them there was some discussion previously that some records appear appear twice (with a different location for each). This was as a result of mis-filing at some point in the past

As usual, more info would have been helpful.

Pauline

[msallen]

I'm not familiar with Kent geography/parishes, so can't say if this is the case here, but I on a number of occassions I have seen what looks like two baptisms, with one in the "mother parish" and one in a chapelry of the same parish.

It would seem that only one baptism has taken place but an entry has been made in the regs of both the chapelry and the parish.

[Suttonrog]

Stan is correct in that they can not be baptised twice.

They should be baptised in the parish of the birth as this parish was responsible for poor relief if required.

A possibility springs to mind that the churches shared a minister and the baptism occurred once but was transcribed twice in the IGI.

Rog

[Pilgarlic]

Hello all

Thanks for your help.

Regarding the IGI transcription ;
Just to clarify that i saw the baptisms myself in the original parish registers for both Reculver and Hoath at the Canterbury Cathedral Archives. The person baptised was Elizabeth Sturges on the 10/5/1727.

By the way ;
My grandad was also baptised twice in 2 separate parishes. The first when he was a couple of months old at Westgate on Sea, Kent and later at 4 years of age at Manston, Kent.

Pilgarlic

[stanmapstone]

Yes, there are instances of children being baptised twice. Most probably because, as far as the Church of England was concerned, the first baptism was not lawful, or "all things were not done, as they ought to be" Or the Parish Priest was deliberately kept in ignorance of the first one. If parents are so minded they could get their children baptised as often as they like, just as you could go through as many marriage ceremonies you like to the same person. 

Stan