> > > There is another point of course - the baptismal certificate was almost the only proof of identity. If people needed to prove their existence, poor law rules for example, proof of residence in a certain parish to claim relief - maybe a late baptism in order to get married. And various other possibilities. My mother, b. 1919 was not baptised because her father, having seen all sorts of horrors in the trenches - said she could make her own mind up about religion ( and incidentally, vaccination - she was jabbed as an emergency aged 3 and remembered being chased by a doctor with a large needle!) > > In 1940, about to marry, she could not provide proof of a baptism - it had not happened - so she was baptised in Dec, married in Jan 1941, and confirmed in March - Anglican. The rest of the family were Presbyterian some were Congregationalists. > > Jean > > > > From: mike.gould@ndirect.co.uk > > To: bristol_and_somerset@rootsweb.com > > Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:04:42 +0100 > > Subject: Re: [B&S] Poor Law TNA Documents On-Line > > > > > > Hi Marjorie, > > > > I hadn't realised that it was actually against church rules to charge a fee > > for baptisms. Interesting. As you say, it was probably a case of the vicar > > bringing pressure to bear to get all the unbaptised children done. It would > > be interesting to look at the register and see whether the dates correspond > > to a new incumbent who is more strict about such things than his > > predecessor. Or perhaps even a new Bishop sending out instructions to his > > subordinates to "get their acts together" and get their flock baptised. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Mike > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: bristol_and_somerset-bounces@rootsweb.com > > [mailto:bristol_and_somerset-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Art & > > Marjorie Keates > > Sent: 26 October 2010 12:41 > > To: bristol_and_somerset@rootsweb.com > > Subject: Re: [B&S] Poor Law TNA Documents On-Line > > > > Hi Mike > > > > I looked up Henry and his family to refresh my memory. > > > > 12 children in the family. > > First 5 were baptised, didn't find a baptism for the 6th. Henry, the 7th, > > baptised when he was 5, and at least 3 years before he entered the > > workhouse. > > Didn't find any baptisms for next 4, the 12th born in May 1845, baptised in > > July and buried in Jan...the same day as her father who died when 'cliff > > fell on him at the old works'. Ruth was 8 months and ' buried in the same > > coffin with her father.' > > Interesting little notes you find when reading the actual register. > > > > The mother was buried the day the 12th child, Ruth, was baptised. > > > > I expect that Henry and the now youngest child Nicholas entered the work > > house after their father's death. > > > > Using the TNA site you told us about I found a reference in a letter dated > > 18 Feb 1852 to Nicholas Latcham age 10 fit for employment. > > > > An unexpected mention of Nicholas > > > > Thank you again for mention of the TNA site. > > > > By the way there has been a lenghty discussion on another group re baptisms > > and fees. The vicar was not supposed to charge for a baptism. Perhaps some > > did but it was against church rules. > > Perhaps some families just didn't really care whether or not their children > > were baptised and every now and then would be prodded into taking them to > > church and having any unbaptised children 'done'. > > > > Best wishes > > Marjorie > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BRISTOL_AND_SOMERSET-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > >

Hi Jean, > the baptismal certificate was almost the only proof of identity. That's a good point, and one which the Baptists discovered to their cost. Inheritance depended on showing that you were the person named in the will. Since the Baptists did not believe in infant baptisms, they found that they had a problem when it came to proving the identity of a minor. This, I understand, is how Dr William's Library came about, which involved the registering of the birth of an infant in a way that had a legal standing, as an alternative to baptism. Best wishes, Mike