Genealogy Chat

Hi I have been researching today in Birmingham and came across one baptism for my family which stated underneath 'privately baptised' there were others in the register that said this from other families, but I've never come across it before. Any ideas what it may mean exactly? Jayne

Publicly baptised is what we generally understand by a christening today: in the church, surrounded by friends and family. Private baptism can be carried out by a midwife, in the home. This could happen for various reasons: one given is that the child might be sickly. Private baptism is often followed by a ceremony in which the child is received into the church. I think Tess of the Durbevilles has a description of Tess baptising her illegitimate baby.

I have this in my family to where a child was privately baptised in March and then in April of the same year he was baptised publicly. I think again it was for sickness as this child died one year later.

I think some christenings happened at home if the village/area didnt have a church or chapel. One of the villages I am researching in Somerset had a C of E church but a few of the villagers were chapel goers and nearest one was several miles away - so they had their baptisms at home, until a chapel was later built in the village. But as said previously, babies who were sick and not expected to live long were often baptised quickly at home.

It was usually done by the midwife if the newborn was not expected to survive. If however the child made it then there was usually a christening held at the local church but not always. Karen

There can be a number of reasons for 'private' baptisms. It may have been that the child was born 'out of wedlock', and the minister would not carry it out in church, or the stigma of the birth. The child may have been sickly and not expected to survive. The parents may have been well-to-do, and had the baptism in the house. In the cases I have found in my research, all but one were born out of wedlock, and the exception was the child was not expected to live (and did not, only living 5 days). Paul

thanks everyone for the info. The child did live as the baptism is n 1883 and i have found her on the 1891 census. They are also in the middle of Birmingham so not being near the church probably isn't an option. Her parents were only married the year before maybe she was born before they were married, baptised privately and then baptised again later in the church??? interesting Jayne

My 4xgreat grandparents 3rd son Frederick Coombs was baptised after 2 days, baptism record on IGI at St James, Picadilly yet the other 3 were baptised after at least 6 months, and Frederick died aged 15 months, so maybe he was baptised at home the day after his birth then sent to the church to be baptised publicly as he was not expected to survive.

Hi, I was privately baptised in my Nan's front parlour. The minister made a note of it on the back of my birth certificate. I was 4 weeks early and as soon as I was well enough we travelled to Wales to make sure I was christened Welsh Presbyterian. I still wasn't very healthy so the minister came to my Nan's house to do it. Gwynne

I have come across this yesterday at my local archive. my father had twin sisters who where born, died and baptised on the same day at home. In the margin of the register it states Private Baptism...RIP. Hope this helps