Baptisms in the 1830s

[Rachel]

For what length of time did a family need to be resident in a London/Middlesex Parish in order to have their children baptised there ?

Or could they just decide to have their offspring baptised at a church in a different area and nip over there for a couple of days ?




This is following on from my other thread

http://genealogistsforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=788

[Merry]

I don't think the rules were particularly cast in stone! (sorry!)

Anyone had the right to have their child baptised in the birth parish and I would think if the family were poor then other vicars wouldn't be keen to baptise the children as that would make his parish liable for paying poor relief in the future (I think). However, quite a few of mine were baptised away from the birth parish (rich and poor) and if the birth parish wasn't the normal parish of residence, they were not always baptised there as an alternative. I have some born in Northumberland but baptised in Cambs, for instance!

[Rachel]

Mmmmmmmmm :confused: :)

so, in theory, it would be possible for a child born in say ...... ? St Georges Middx on 9th April :D to be baptised in St Mary's, Bryanston Sq. on 25th with the parents in lodgings there for a night or two .... maybe ? ;)


Ooooooooo ~ I really really REALLY want this family to be mine !

[Nell]

I don't think there are hard and fast rules about this. I have several instances of parents taking their child to the mother's home parish to be baptised even though they were resident many miles away.

[Rachel]

Thank you Nell ~ a glimmer of hope then :)

[Olde Crone]

The Union Poor Law Act was passed in 1836(?) and after that no particular parish was responsible for you, only the parish in which you LIVED.

My father was born in Lytham St Annes, where his parents happened to be living at the time. He was taken back to his grandparents' church to be baptised, some 50 miles away.

OC

[Rachel]

Thank you OC :)