Margin note for baptism entry

[Beadlady]

Hi

I have discovered a 'P' in the margin of an entry of baptism.

Could anyone please tell me what this means?  I have attached the entry for Sarah Jane Southworth.

Thanks
Wendy

[Milliepede]

I think it means Private baptism.

[Beadlady]

Hi Milliepede

Thanks for your reply.

That's interesting, I've just looked up 'private baptism' and apparently it means that the child was not believed to survive and so the baptism was carried out in a hurry often at home.  But Sarah was born in 1839 according to a census, and the baptism was in 1843, so I guess at the age of 4 she became ill and was quickly baptised.  I cannot see any record of her having a full baptism later.

Sarah is my 2nd great grandmother, so I nearly didn't make it!

Very interesting.

Thanks again,
Wendy

[Milliepede]

Someone will correct it if I'm wrong but that's what I understood too if the child was poorly and may not survive.

Clearly she did in this case 

[stanmapstone]

Hi Milliepede

  I cannot see any record of her having a full baptism later.

A private baptism was administered if the child was not expected to live
The baptism service consists of two parts, the baptism itself and the public receiving of the infant before the congregation at a service in the church as a member of Christ’s flock. If a child is baptised privately, they ought to be brought to the Church as soon as possible to be received as members of " the flock of true Christian people". This is why the term "half baptised" is sometimes used, because the second part has not been carried out. However children that are baptized privately, are not half baptized, as it was commonly called, but "truly and validly baptized"..

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

[Beadlady]

Thanks very much for your reply Stan, very interesting