On 24/10/2013 22:48, Carol Collins wrote: > Piety was baptized twice - first in Stogumber in 1812, the second time in St. Decuman's in 1813. Children aren't supposed to be baptised twice. When this appears to happen it is often the child was baptised privately because they were sickly at birth and not likely to survive. This is sometimes known as a half baptism and could be done by anyone, not just the incumbent. If the child did survive they'd be received into the Church which would complete the baptism. A private baptism might be marked as such (private or PB) and the completion marked as received sometimes with the date of the private baptism. This didn't always happen, hence the apparent double baptism esp when two different parishes were involved.. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Ashcott, Shapwick, Greinton and Clutton, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk