Genealogy Chat

Hi, I'm not sure about baptisms, but I have come across marriages performed "under license" in C of E churches where either bride or groom was, say, non-conformist but married there because there wasn't a place of worship for their particular religion in that village / town. Helen

Thanks Nell.

Kate I imagine Hammerwich had a chapelry as an offshoot of the parish church in Lichfield, to serve the local population. As to where your relative would have been baptised - if they were devout Catholics they would presumably have worshipped at the nearest Catholic church and had their children baptised there. I don't think the distance of a few miles would have made many odds, most people walked a lot further then than they do now, and churchgoing was more popular then too. (not much else to do on a Sunday). nell

On 1881 my rellie’s place of birth was given as Hammerwitch, Staffs. In 1901 it was Litchfield, Staffs. According to GENUKI, Hammerwich ‘formed a chapelry and Out-township to Lichfield’. Firstly, what does that mean. Secondly, where was my rellie likely to have been baptised (his birth wasn’t registered). Hammerwich has one church, serving 300 people. Lichfield had three and a Cathedral serving 7000 people. BUT I suspect my rellie to have been Catholic and there was a Roman Catholic church in Lichfield, Holy Cross. Apparently it is a few miles away so would my rellies have been likely to travel there and back or make do with the church on their doorstep? Would they have been allowed to use Lichfield churches if they lived in Hammerwich? My rellie’s brother was born in Wolverhampton which has loads of churches including 4 Catholic ones, so he is of no use when trying to narrow down my search.

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