Why did parents stop christening their children post-1837?

[MacGrigor]

Hello,

It's just a trend I've noticed. Especially in small farming communities, although twice in towns and once in a city in my line. Pre-1837, I can find christenings for all but a handful of ancestors, but post-1837 there are a few that had their births registered but were never christened. Judging by the time 1840s-1900s, and the location (rural hamlets and villages), I don't think they were likely influenced by the growth of atheism following the publication of Darwin's 'On The Origin of Species'. Their parents, born pre-1837, living in the same small settlements, were always christened at a parish church, and there were no major chapels around. Did parents perhaps not bother because they knew their children already existed on a record? Did they see birth registration as equivalent to a christening?

Adam

[Kiltpin]

Different religion, maybe? 

Regards 

Chas

[MacGrigor]

That’s true in some cases. But they all still married in Anglican churches, and were buried in Anglican parishes! It’s a strange one.

[Craclyn]

Pre 1837 the baptism was the only way to have the child officially recognised. After the introduction of Civil Registration in 1837 they could use the birth certificate.

[MacGrigor]

That was my line of thinking too! And of course civil registration was introduced to help with wills etc too.

[KGarrad]

Do the Parish Registers you are looking at have any baptisms post 1837?
Often transcriptions stop at that time.

[MacGrigor]

Yes it’s an odd one.

[Hinso]

I thought that proof of birth was linked to the provision of Poor Law relief. You had to prove that you belonged to a parish in order to get the (parish-based) payments if you got into difficulties. This would have been an important consideration for your average ag lab and other people of limited means. They had to face the risk of illness or loss of employment at some time in their lives or even old age pauperism. The post-1837 birth certificate showed the place of birth making a baptism unnecessary for civil purposes.

[MacGrigor]

That would make sense, but didn’t most people not possess a physical copy of their birth certificate?