Listers We expect the babies to be christened within the first year of life...but they often are not. It seems Bedfordshire people often waited 'till the child was almost in their teens [18th C] before they were christened. I expect that had something to do with the Baptist etc influence in our County? So birth dates cannot be presumed from those christening dates as often kids were christened in 'batches' anyway. Sometimes the original PR will give more info — if the vicar adds an age into the record but that wont be shown on the IGI. If they survive until the census [and I can't get my head around 1841s rounding-up or rounding-down ... whatever was the mad Victorian thinking behind that scheme?] - that might help... Genealogy Frustrated of Wilstead!
Hi Frustrated! I can sympathise with many of your frustrations. However, it is not true to assume that ages at christening won't be shown on the IGI. I have several ancestors christened at a church in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. The vicar there has, in many cases, included the child's date of birth which has also been recorded in the IGI. This has been very useful. So don't give up hope! Best of luck, Sarah -----Original Message----- From: AudreyJoyceMcC@aol.com [mailto:AudreyJoyceMcC@aol.com] Sent: 09 June 2006 15:24 To: BEDFORD-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [BDF] Christenings Listers We expect the babies to be christened within the first year of life...but they often are not. It seems Bedfordshire people often waited 'till the child was almost in their teens [18th C] before they were christened. I expect that had something to do with the Baptist etc influence in our County? So birth dates cannot be presumed from those christening dates as often kids were christened in 'batches' anyway. Sometimes the original PR will give more info - if the vicar adds an age into the record but that wont be shown on the IGI. If they survive until the census [and I can't get my head around 1841s rounding-up or rounding-down ... whatever was the mad Victorian thinking behind that scheme?] - that might help... Genealogy Frustrated of Wilstead!