Genealogy Chat

Many thanks for the information. I will certainly look further ahead in the parish register, I did
not know about the second part of a private baptism.

Thought you may be interested to know that after his sickly start this John Fletcher served for 29 years in the Army, surviving many battles including the Battle of Waterloo. He was medically pensioned out being described as worn out and unable to carry his kit. At his dicharge, he already had 3 children and went on to have 4 more by this wife and a further 2 with his second wife. He was 77 when he died!

Chris

Flick, found this on a rootsweb thread:

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".


Although 5 years seems to be long time after the baptism!

I have a record for a relationwhich has always puzzled me.............perhaps you'd be able to throw some light on it for me, jerseylily. I'd be grateful if you could

A child born 13/11/1892, baptised 28/12/1892, and received into church 29/09/1897.

The gaps don't seem to indicate the 'usual' scenario.............

I do a lot of work with parish records and quite a few of them have the annotation 'privately at home'. As you surmised it usually meant the child was not expected to survive.
There is often a further note, usually 2 or 3 weeks later, giving the date when the baptism was 'followed up' by a presentation at the church.

As they weren't too hot on birthdays, perhaps his baptism date was more memorable, often given as the "start "of their life .

Thanks DetEcTive

It would be Cof E as John had his children baptised in the parich church. I will have a look at citark.

Chris

You are lucky to have such early photos! They must have been one of the first to be taken.

Private baptisms- yes, they ought to be recorded in the Parish register. If you were to dip into the images shown on cityark.medway.gov.uk, some will have a note next to them, either words or the letter P. Can't comment on RC or other denomination baptism/christenings though.

I am very lucky have two photos of John Fletcher:

One taken in 1867 which says on the back 'was baptised 28th April 1794'

The second one says on the back 'taken 2nd October 1858 and he states he was 64 years 5 months and 4 days old when the photo was taken. Doing a bit of calculating I make that he was born on 28th April 1794.

What is strange is that he was born and baptised on the same day. Could mean his survival was in question

I am hoping it wasn't a private home baptism (if there was such a thing) and therefore there is a possibility of it not being in any register :-(

Has anyone had experience of a private home baptism, and did the entry get put in the parish register?

Many thanks in advance.

Chris