Because infancy was such a touchy time and churches were so cold, I believe baptisms were held at home. Later they were moved, as private ceremonies, to church. Now, of course, they are normally community affairs with the whole congregation being present. Sixty five years ago, my brother was baptised at home. His birth had been difficult for mother and child and with Winter upon us, it was thought that having the clergyman come to our home would be safer all around. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans" > From: jillm@iafrica.com > To: angus@rootsweb.com > Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:44:52 +0200 > Subject: Re: [ANGUS] Where were Scots baptisms held? > > It seems that the tradition carried on for a long time. My mother was born > very prematurely in 1913 at home and was baptised almost instantly by a > family member because she wasn't expected to survive. She was given the > "wrong" name of Nancy, which was an abbreviation of her paternal > grandmother's name, Agnes, my mother having been the second daughter. The > family tried to have her name changed to Agnes, but the Kirk objected, her > baptised name having apparently been recorded in heaven, and thus there was > no chance of a second baptism. > > This premature baby lived till the ripe old age of 92, and to keep the > tradition going my first name is also Nancy. > > No Wayne's or Charmaines in those days. > > Best wishes, Nancy Jill Martin > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Adrian B" <abruce@madasafish.com> > To: <angus@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 6:31 PM > Subject: [ANGUS] Where were Scots baptisms held? > > > > Where were Scots baptisms held? Particularly those in Church of Scotland, > > 1780s? > > > > Once upon a time I would have assumed "in the Church" but since I > > eventually > > found out that marriages weren't (far too frivolous, I think a lister > > implied), maybe I shouldn't assume. > > > > What's prompted the question is a baptism I have (actually from Caputh in > > Perthshire) that says "10 July <1789> Andrew Thomson in Wester Caputh had > > a > > child ... born & baptised July 17". The word "born" is an interpolation. > > Dates of birth are not normally seen in Caputh at this time - at least, > > not > > in the examples I have. The most logical meaning is that she was born on > > 10 > > July and baptised on 17 July - but why would the minister record the birth > > date? I know it happens in lots of other places - but it seems most > > untypical here at this time. > > > > Alternatively, in the Church of England we often find double baptisms - > > the > > first is a private baptism at home, and the second a church ceremony > > receiving the child into the church. This reputedly happens for sickly > > children who might not otherwise survive to their baptism. So an > > alternative > > is that she was, perhaps, both born and baptised on 10 July, then received > > into the church on 17 July. But I don't know if this happens in Scotland. > > > > Also - in Dundee I do find children in certain families clearly born and > > baptised the same day - and it seems unlikely that a new-born should be > > taken through the streets to church on the day of their birth. > > > > Grateful for any thoughts over where Scots baptisms took place. > > > > Adrian B > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > ANGUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > __________ NOD32 4261 (20090720) Information __________ > > > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ANGUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message