1848 Madras India Illegitimate Baptism

[farmeroman]

I have an 1848 Madras, India baptism record for Ellen Amelia Etridge. She was described as the illegitimate daughter of Charles William Etridge, but no mother's name was given. However, the leftmost column (Said to be Born) contains the information "Born on the 15 April 1848 which I certify Charlotte Capell". Charlotte Capell also appears as a sponsor in the rightmost column. Both other baptism entries on the page are certified by the father (as appears to be the case for those on other pages).

Would Charlotte Capell definitely be the mother or could she be a midwife or some other random person who was present at the birth and was therefore qualified to certify it?

I have only attached scans of the left and right columns, but the original is available on FindMyPast.

[Girl Guide]

I'm a little dubious about the sponsor being the mother.  I see that Charles married on 17th December 1856 to a Susannah Gnanpra - gasam?? who was aged 24.  They were both residing at Trichinopoly.

Charles was 31 and manager of pension office Trichinopoly.

Have you tried to trace Charlotte Capell at all?

[farmeroman]

I'm a little dubious about the sponsor being the mother.  I see that Charles married on 17th December 1856 to a Susannah Gnanpra - gasam?? who was aged 24.  They were both residing at Trichinopoly.

Charles was 31 and manager of pension office Trichinopoly.

Have you tried to trace Charlotte Capell at all?

Yes he married Susannah Gnanapragasam in 1856. I'm not sure if her father was Gnanapragasam Mariasarum or if the second part was her mother's name. I find that Indian names can sometimes be a bit confusing in the records.

I have looked at occurrences of Charlotte Capell but nothing really stands out.

[farmeroman]

Interestingly when Ellen Amelia Etridge married Anthony Tucker Gaudoin in 1875 she claimned to be 19, which was 8 years younger than her actual age, but would allow her to be legitimate and Susannah Gnanapragasam to be her mother.

[Girl Guide]

There was a lot of age massaging done in connection with marriages.  I had an ancestor who claimed to be younger than she was, in fact she was ten years older than her husband.

It's probably still done today, unless production of a birth certificate before marriage is a requirement now.

[Ashtone]

1845 birth for a Charlotte Agnes Capell in Trichinopoly. Parents are Pvt William & Charlotte Capell. Three sponsors named, for which Charlotte Capell acts as proxy for one of them.

[farmeroman]

There was a lot of age massaging done in connection with marriages.  I had an ancestor who claimed to be younger than she was, in fact she was ten years older than her husband.

It's probably still done today, unless production of a birth certificate before marriage is a requirement now.

Yes I've seen a lot too, usually to make the wife's age seem closer to the husbands. It seems to me that this one may have been to legitimise her birth.

[Ashtone]

I'm a bit confused... Are there two men named Charles William Etridge? 

According to her 1848 baptism record, Ellen Amelia's father is a "cabinet maker".
The CWE who marries in 1856 is "Manager of the Pension Office, Trichinopoly".

Perhaps he had a change of career by 1856.

[farmeroman]

I'm a bit confused... Are there two men named Charles William Etridge? 

According to her 1848 baptism record, Ellen Amelia's father is a "cabinet maker".
The CWE who marries in 1856 is "Manager of the Pension Office, Trichinopoly".

Perhaps he had a change of career by 1856.

Yes I know. I’m confused too. It’s all a bit weird with his occupation switching a couple of times with the baptism and burials of his children too. He’s even a photographer at one point  . I haven’t found another CW though so I think it’s the same one*. 

*Edit: although his wife’s name changes from Susannah to Joanna at some stage. Needs more work.