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Came across a baptism anomaly that I’ve never come across before, but thought worth mentioning.
William Levi Hector, had a group christening for his 5 or 6 children, but one of them I didn’t recognise. Checking GRO, the child had a different mothers maiden name from the others, and din’t match William’s wife’s maiden name.
After further investigation, it turns out she was actually William’s niece and was daughter of William’s brother Thomas!
There is no logical explanation why she was baptised with her cousins as her parents were still alive and well and she can be found with them in the following censuses.
Just goes to show you can’t always rely on what you see in parish registers
I’ve got a number of family group Christenings - it’s as though someone sees the light and decides to get everyone done in a fit of regularising things - but the correct parents are always attributed, even when they are dead.
I’ve always regretted that the names of godparents aren’t added to the record - it would be a very interesting and useful way to make connections. Ho hum…
There are a few explanations but they would only be guesswork, here are the two most obvious.
Have you any idea how religious or perhaps I should say Godfearing William was, could William be her true father?
Or could it be that when William had his children baptised, the vicar asked the child's name and assume she was one of William's children.
Cheers
Guy
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Guy wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 11:12
There are a few explanations but they would only be guesswork, here are the two most obvious.
Have you any idea how religious or perhaps I should say Godfearing William was, could William be her true father?
Or could it be that when William had his children baptised, the vicar asked the child's name and assume she was one of William's children.
Cheers
Guy
Guy,
I think your second suggestion is more likely! I have something similar with.a marriage, where vicar put groom’s name down for the grooms father’s name! They are human after all and they make mistakes too! especially if he made notes and filled in the register at a later date.
One of my (illegitimate) ancestors was baptised when a young boy c1850 in east London. Looking at his baptism record, only his grandparents' names are indicated. His mother had emigrated in 1845 when he was a baby, and she obviously left him with her parents. So anyone not familiar with the family would presume they're his parents, due to the baptism record. Unless, of course, further research was done, as regards the grandparents' (advanced) ages and their address on the 1850 baptism record. Obtaining his 1844 birth cert finally shed light on the 'complicated' matter.
Slightly different baptism story: Another relative was baptised Catholic shortly after his birth, as his mother was Catholic. When he was about 10, his parents died. His paternal aunt and her husband took him in. Interestingly, they quickly had the lad re-baptised as C of E.
especially if he made notes and filled in the register at a later date.