Good afternoon
I am looking for opinions on a baptism, please.
John Brotherton bapt 9 Jul 1837 son of Susan Brotherton, spinster abode Burnley Lane, Burnley
Susanna Brotherton, baptized 11 Jul 1837 (born May 1826 - transcribed as 1836 on Familysearch.org) St Peter, Burnley, daughter of James (buried 6 April 1837) and Mary (born c 1777) Brotherton abode Burnley Lane, Burnley. See attached.
I have Susanna Duerden nee Brotherton born 1816 with whom in 1841 there is a Mary Brotherton aged 63 (I know that in 1841 they rounded to nearest 5 years but as her age is given as 63 I tend to believe that is correct) making her birth 1777. Also John Brotherton born 1828.
Q1. Is there a chance the baptism year of birth instead of 1826 could at a stretch be 1816 making her 22 at the time of her baptism?
Q2. A have a burial for Mary in 1846 which is the same given abode at the time of burial for Susanna Duerden who died in 1845, Park, Burnley. However, according to the burial records Mary is 73/4 (the parish register differs to the civil register) putting Mary 4 years older. My theory here is that Mary now has no living family just, who I assume to be, her 18 year old grandson. If she was still living with Susanna's family, the Duerden's, then her husband may not have known her correct age and guessed putting four years on her making her 73 not 69.
Q3. The only thing I can't reconcile is why was Susanna baptized in July 1837? She had been married two years by then even though the baptism gives her maiden name. Also the baptism shows James and Mary yet James is dead by now. The abode is the same as that James was living in at the his time of death. Married Susanna has had two children baptized in the same church previously.
Pretty much everything ties in to being the same family.
Could it have anything to do with Poor Law? James has died leaving Mary looking after 9 year old grandson and 23 year old daughter who dies two years later. I have no idea when Mary went to live with Susanna and her family. Anytime between 1839 and 1841. There must have been some reason why Susanna wasn't baptized when she was born. Not the first time children have been baptized at a later date. Perhaps Mary was ill.
I have records of pretty much every Brotherton family in the town and I am 99.999% sure this family is correct.
Any opinions as to Susanna's reason for the baptism would be appreciated.
NB - added 10.08.20
Facts:
John Brotherton bapt 9 Jul 1837 son of Susan Brotherton, spinster abode Burnley Lane, Burnley
Susanna Brotherton bapt 11 Jul 1837 born 1826 dau of James and Mary, abode Burnley Lane, Burnley
1841 census - Mary Brotherton (63) living with Susannah Duerden (b c 1816) and John Brotherton (b c1828)
Theory for people to be baptised around the time of civil registration:
John bap 1837 is actually the illeg son of Susan/Susanna born 1828 as I have no trace of another John and Susanna that fit. (I have another John in 1841 of the same age but with another family.) No birth year is given as with Susanna but this baptism was recorded by a different curate who maybe wasn't as accurate with his record keeping. Also acording to the census in 1841 he was born in Colne which is roughly the location the family lived around that time
Susan/Susanna bap to James and Mary was actually born 1816 not 1826 (error by assistant curate)
Was it impressed upon people to have their children baptized if they were born before civil registration? Were they actually baptized or just a record made? But why, if this is the case, was Susanna baptized 2 days after John?
Looking at the register there were twelve baptisms carried out on 9 July, John being the last of the day and Susanna being first of the day on the 11th. All seems a bit fishy to me if they are are one and the same Susanna. If I was a detective I would think for some reason it was intended they were baptized by different curates.
The easy solution is that there were two Susanna's but all events were recorded at the same address. There were no other people in the family who could have been parents to either Susanna.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Amanda
