The general consensus for private baptisms (before it became fashionable as well), was the child was weak, sickly and not expected to survive. I've been searching parish registers for a specific baptism in the early 1870s and came across about a dozen entries marked as private baptisms which also had the dates of birth. In every case the birth was at least three months before the baptism and in one case over two years. There was nothing to indicate these were the dates the child was received into the church. The incumbent had annotated the date received on at least one entry. The delay and private baptism in some cases could be accounted for by the fact the fathers were soldiers of varying ranks or otherwise connected with the army and thus possibly away on active duty at the time of the birth even though it wasn't necessary for the father to be present at the baptism. Amongst the others were a draper, a barber and a labourer. Had private baptisms become fashionable by then? If so, what kind of labourer could have afforded a private ceremony? And I still haven't found the baptism I was looking for! <G> -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton and Greinton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk