Two christenings?

[suttontrust]

I have Edward Pritchett who appears to have been christened twice.  He was born in Hull on 21 February 1831, the son of William and Sarah, and christened first on 7 March at Mill St Primitive Methodist and then 3 days later at Holy Trinity C of E.  Was this usual, perhaps if the parents came from different denominations?

[groom]

Not the case here, but I know if a child wasn't expected to live they were baptised at home and then, if they survived, were accepted into the church at a ceremony later.

My great x4 grandfather was also baptised twice, once as a day old baby in Norwich and then as a 7 year old in London when all his sublings were done! I'm certain it is the same person as the parents' names are unusual and the date of birth is the same. Perhaps they just didn't want him to feel left out. 

I would think your two different religions might be the answer to your example. Could it be that the Methodist one wasn't accepted as official at that time, so he had to be done in a C of E church?

[Marmalady]

I have several examples of children being christened twice

Some are done first in a non-conformist chapel followed by a CoE a week or so later. I think the CoE was considered more "official" --rather like a registration but before civil registration was introduced

In other cases the child is baptised firstly in the parish where the p\rents actually live at trhe time, followed by another baptism back in their "home" parish where they originally came from -- and presumably still had many relations & friends

[LizzieW]

Some are done first in a non-conformist chapel followed by a CoE a week or so later. I think the CoE was considered more "official" --rather like a registration but before civil registration was introduced

This happened to some of my husband's ancestors.  They were baptised in non conformist chapels, but the registrations are actually listed in the parish register of the nearest C of E church (under a heading showing the name of the chapel).  In the case of suttontrust, it could be that 3 days later was just the date the baptism was written up in the C of E register.

[suttontrust]

I feel a bit dubious about the non-conformist records not being accepted as "official".  The Test Acts were repealed in 1828 so there was no need by 1831 to prove your Anglicanism.  But maybe it lingered.

[coombs]

I have an ancestor sister who was baptised at St Leonard Shoreditch and St Matthew Bethnal Green, both Anglican churches. She had an unusual surname and the DOB and parents details match, and her entry appears in both church registers. She died as a infant I think as she had a sister with the same forename baptised in 1808. Not unusual to be baptised twice, same as be enumerated in a census twice.

[groom]

Not unusual to be baptised twice, same as be enumerated in a census twice.

Might not be unusual, but I don't think it was exactly "legal" in the eyes of the church. Baptism should only be carried out once.

[stanmapstone]

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.

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 answer is 'yes' then the Priest has to examine them further as to the find out if the child was lawfully baptized, and if the Minister shall find by the answers of such as bring the Child that all things were done as they ought to be, then shall not he christen the Child again but shall receive him/her as one of the flock of true christian people."


Stan

[andrewalston]

It seems that there are families with split denominational loyalties, and children are given a trip to both fonts as a matter of course.

Other families seem to be confused about which children have been baptised. Those who moved about, such as canal families, seem worst affected. Sometimes you can imagine the vicar saying after the ceremony for one child something like "I don't remember your Henry being baptised", and Henry is dutifully christened a second time, aged 4, the following week.

But I have one of my lot who appears to have been baptised a second time so as to give a visiting missionary clergyman something to do. It was less than a month after he first got his head wet, so no memory loss, but the page in the register had been turned, so the visitor would not suspect a thing.