'Private' Baptism - Cheadle

[David Lea]

Apologies if this seems a basic or rather obvious question...

I'm researching my Gt Grandmother, Annie Butler, who I believe was born in Cheadle in 1860.

Checking through the Cheshire Parish Records site, I have found a record for a baptism of an Annie Butler on 26/03/64 at Cheadle. The record states it was a 'private' baptism, a description I don't think I've seen on any other record.

Annie is quite a challenge to research, so I'm looking for any clues that may help me understand her life more fully.

My question is... what is a 'private' baptism as opposed to an ordinary or non-private one?

I'm also wondering if the delay in getting her baptized (ie 4 yrs from birth) could be significant since it appears at odds with what would normally be expected at this time?

Many thanks

David

[rosie99]

Private baptisms are often given to infants who are not expected to live. 

[garstonite]

this topic was asked in 2013
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=635404.msg4828420#msg4828420

[stanmapstone]

this topic was asked in 2013
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=635404.msg4828420#msg4828420

And from RootsChat Reference Library http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/reflib-lexicon.php?letter=P&lang=EN&input_form
Private Baptism
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,236486
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,121214
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,4812

Stan

[David Lea]

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions to the links where the topic has been discussed previously.

I've looked through the other postings and the general consensus is that Private Baptisms are most frequently used where the child is not expected to live or perhaps in cases of illegitimacy.

Neither of these suggestions would seem to apply in Annie's case... she was definitely born 'in wedlock' and she was around 4 years of age when baptized, so presumably any risk of poor health as a 'new born' had long since passed.

Any other suggestions as to a 'Private Baptism' in these circumstances would be gratefully received.

Kind Regards

David

[Jo Harding]

It does seem odd that Annie was not baptised as an infant but waited until she was age 4 for this to be done. Have you compared this with her siblings (if any) to see what age they were when they were baptised?

Some families didn't baptise children at a very early age, though most did. It is difficult to speculate why this happened here.

It is possible that Annie wasn't baptised at the usual age for reasons unknown but she may have been ill when aged 4 which prompted the family to baptise her then. I would have thought this would have been done at home, rather than in church.

It is difficult to know exactly why this happened. In the event the other children of this couple were also baptised at relatively old ages, then you could assume there was no particular reason for the delay in Annie's case.

Jo.

[rolnora]

There is another baptism to this couple in Cheadle Parish

Mary Jane Butler born 10 June 1855 Baptised 10 July 1855   Res Lark Hill
Mary Jane died 1857 [Burial Records]

That one wasn't delayed

[David Lea]

Thanks Jo for your thoughts but as rolnora points out, there was another sibling, Mary Jane who was baptized soon after birth ( and sadly Mary Jane died 2 years later), so there was no pattern as such.

I think there is another sibling, Fanny, born in 1865, however this was after Annie and Mary's father had died, so I do not know who her father was. To compound matters further, I can't find any record of Fanny being baptized?

As you suggest Jo, I probably won't ever know the reasons behind this.

Annie is a mystery to me in several ways, so the quest goes on to try and work it all out!

Thanks again for everyone's input.

David

[rolnora]

Hi David,
It's unfortunate that the images for Cheadle Parish are not on line anywhere yet, leastways for the years you need. 
I think I would want to see the actual image of this baptism from the parish records.
It may be that there isn't anything more to be gleaned from it but on the other hand.......