Genealogy Chat

Has anyone ever come across a child being baptised but his birth not registered??? My Sunley gg grandparents appear to have had a child called Frank baptised in 1894, he does not appear on 1901 census so I presume he died, there is no record of a burial in the cemetary where his parents are and no-one else in my family has any knowledge of him. I cannot find a death for him either. He is a mystery to me, George

When you say 'he doesn't appear on 1901 census' - does that mean you've found the rest of the family and the youngster wasn't with them, or could he have been a victim of mistranscription (with which the censuses abound!). Where have you looked for the birth? 1837Online is complete (allegedly) but the transcription sites vary as to completeness: FreeBMD (the database also used by Ancestry) has a coverage chart so you can see what's there and not there. The Local BMD sites, where they exist (see www.ukbmd.org.uk) have different gaps. Also some records didn't manage the transcription jump from local to GRO lists. Christine

Yes I have found the family but hes not listed, they consistently registered the births of all of their other children but not him. I have tried FreeBMD, 1837online, Darlington BMD, Durham BMD etc I have searched 1837online from mid 1893 through to early 1895.

Hi George Who were his parents? what area were they in? I have some ancestors that were not christened/baptized until they were older sometimes even as adults. Were did you find this baptism? Deborah

As Debbie says, where did you ge the information about his baptism from, and how authentic is it? By the dates you mention registration was compulsory but have you considered the possibility he was still born? I think the registration rules might have been a bit more vague then in these circumstances.

The information came from a parish register that I looked at on microfilm/fiche while visiting Durham Records Office ages ago. St Luke, Darlington Sept 12 1894 Frank to William and Sarah Sunley, 28 Foster St, Cartman, by W Peacock,

If they registered the siblings, it's unlikely they didn't register him. Sod's Law suggests his birth never made it to the GRO or he was hideously mistranscribed. Is there another couple in the area with the same name to whom he might belong?

Maybe this chap is Frank and his name was changed: Name: Sunley, Walter Record Type: Births Quarter: December Year: 1894 District: Darlington County: Co. Durham North Riding of Yorkshire Volume: 10a Page: 2 Oops, just realised he couldn't be baptised before he was born - unless he was registered very late, or maybe the date in the baptism register was wrong. nell

Is it possible that he was born when his parents were away from home, so his birth would be registered at the register office local to where he was born, but they had him baptised when they got home? It doesn't explain where he went afterwards, though. Kate.

George You say you have the births of all the other children. Do you have all their baptisms as well? By 1894 it was an offence not to register the birth of a child. As you needed a birth certificate for all sorts of things, it is not unheard of, but still extremely rare for a child not to have its birth registered. Baptisms, however, are starting to be much more haphazard at this time and the old practice of having the child baptised when only a day or two old was dying out. If father's occupation tallies with what you know of the family, I'd be inclined to think simply that the child was given a different name at baptism to the name under which his birth was registered.

Is Walter ( or any other child of the right age) with the family in 1901? Perhaps as Brenda says, they changed their minds about the child's name between baptism and registration. I have certainly known this to happen. Depending on how common SUNLEY is as a surname in that area, it might be worth buying Walter's birth certificate.

I have the baptisms of Ada - 1888, dad was Rolleyman, 3 Queen Street George - 1891, Salesman, Foster Street Harry - 1876, Labourer, Anchor Street Edith - 1878, Labourer, Anchor Street They already had a son Walter born in 1881 so I can discount that possibility, whose baptism I have'nt yet found, along with Arthur & Ethels I am baffled, I have rummaged on 1837online, Durham BMD & Darlington BMD without success. My great uncle (Adas son) has no memory of his mother having a brother named Frank though she did name her eldest boy Frank so he probably did exist.

How do the dates of baptism for the siblings compare to their DOB's (shortly after or long time later)? Ken x

I still have'nt cracked this, I have looked 1837online births end of 1893 through to end of 1895. I was at Durham the other week and had a second look at the baptism and his parents were definitely my ancestors. I would like to crack this one just not sure how. George