'Private' Baptism - Cheadle

[David Lea]

Good point rolnora... I'll have to plan a trip to the Record's Office... it's certainly worth a try!

Thanks again

David

[rolnora]

I don't know your location David and how easy it would be for you.
The parish records are at Stockport and I could, if you would like me to, have a look at it for you.
Though it will be sometime next week before I can get there.

[rolnora]

Alternatively you could email Stockport Heritage Library and they would happily send you the details.

http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/libraries/

[David Lea]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you rolnora... I have been visiting my daughter in London, so have been away from the computer.

Thank you again for your help, particularly your very kind offer of going to the Stockport Heritage Library on my behalf, I very much appreciate it!

For now though, I've taken up your other suggestion and emailed the Heritage Library to see if they can help. I'll keep you updated as to what they come back with... fingers crossed!

Thank you again and kind regards

David 

[c-side]

If the privately baptised child survives it is customary to officially receive him/her into the church later.  My experience is that it is the date the child is 'brought to the church' that is recorded in the register - not the date of the private baptism.

I once found a delightful entry where such a child was 2 years old when brought to the church and the vicar's comment was that this was 'through the neglect of her parents'!

[rolnora]

For now though, I've taken up your other suggestion and emailed the Heritage Library to see if they can help. I'll keep you updated as to what they come back with... fingers crossed!

Good luck with it David,
Hope is doesn't turn out to be a wild goose chase

[David Lea]

Thanks 'c-side', that could certainly explain it... as you suggest, Annie may have been ill as a new-born, so was 'privately baptised' and was only 'brought to the church' some 4 years later? I'm guessing I will probably never know for certain but that theory certainly fits.

I'll see what my enquiry with the Heritage Library comes up with, yes, maybe a long shot but certainly worth a try!

Thanks again

David

[David Lea]

I just thought I'd update the forum on my quest to find out more about Annie Butler...

As suggested, I emailed the Stockport Heritage Centre re the 'private baptism'... they kindly sent me a copy of Baptsim Register Entry and this is the reply...

I have managed to locate the baptism register entry for Annie Butler, in the Cheadle St. Mary’s baptism register.

There are a number of reasons why a baptism may have been conducted privately (in their own home). I have looked in to this, and indeed as you have said the main reason for this was if the child was ill  and may not survive. Another possible reason that has cropped up in my research is to do with Annie’s age. Some churches tended to only baptise young children (a few months old or so) in a public baptism. It may have been due to circumstance, as you have stated, that it took so long for Annie to have been baptised, and therefore the church would not allow her to be baptised in a public service.

Unfortunately I could not find one conclusive answer to why she was baptised privately, but I hope this information may help you in your research.


I know it doesn't conclusively answer the mystery but it does support the theory outlined earlier in the thread as to why Annie had a private baptism.

David

[rolnora]

David
Thanks for the update it's always good to know the outcome.   

Do you know when Annie's father Richard died ?
I'm wondering because the 1861 census has Annie's mother Sarah as a widow.
Would that add more weight to the private baptism ?