Birth & Baptisms in the 1800’s

Tom Doig gave his usual informative and amusing talk on the chosen topic of “Births and Baptisms in the 1800’s” with particular reference to the ‘Ag. Labs’, as he thought most of the audience would have some in their background. The broad coverage of the subject made particular reference to the events nine months preceding the birth, the calling of the banns, the marriage, the 4 week lying in period, the eventual birth and later churching of the mother and finally the baptism of the child. Tom detailed the various stages from banns to baptisms with many amusing anecdotes along the way, proving that there is nothing new under the sun, in so far as every day life is concerned !!
In 1732 and ancient author wrote: “ The principle causes of matrimony are these two: Increase of children; and Avoiding fornication and of uncleanliness.” Has it worked!!
In the 1800’s there was no stigma attached to a very pregnant bride being joined in holy matrimony to her, sometimes reluctant, groom. Even the parents liked to know that their intended daughter-in-law was fertile, and able to produce a future generation to help care for them in their old age. Some times there was barely time after the wedding for the obligatory 4 week lying-in period, and occasionally more than one pregnancy might take place before the banns were called, or even a baptism take place. If a child was not baptised until after the marriage of the parents, it could not be listed as a ‘bastard’ in the church records, although the vicar might list the actual date of the birth in the margin of the records,[ for the use of future generations doing ‘Family History Research’!! ]
Banns needed to called on three consecutive Sundays, after the church service, and recorded in a formal register. It was not the task of the vicar to call the banns, this was undertaken by the Parish Clerk.
If there was a break in the calling of the banns, it was believed that some misfortune might befall the child, causing it to be an idiot or imbecile. After the third calling of the banns the groom would leave the church to claim his bride who would be waiting outside, [women were not allowed to hear the calling of their banns] as to all intents and purpose they were married [a secular marriage] or ‘over the brush’, and a church marriage need not necessarily take place, but usually the marriage took place the following week.
Four weeks before the baby was due the ‘monthly nurse’ arrived to oversee the confinement, but she did not attend the birthing, the mid-wife attended to that procedure. It was the job of the monthly nurse to see that the mother-to-be remained in bed and in good condition for the birth. To prevent thrombosis, leeches were applied to the patient’s legs. Should the mother die during the confinement it was listed as ‘dying in childbed’, and if she died during the birth it was classed as ‘dying in childbirth’.
The new mother was not supposed to go into society until she had been ‘churched’ or ‘cleansed’, after which she could resume normal life in the community.
The baptism could take place at any time convenient to the parents, unless the child was sickly, in which case the baptism might be performed privately at home in case the child died suddenly. At times the vicar would encourage all parents of new babies to have their children baptised en-mass, prior to the inspection of the Church Records by the local bishop.
The next meeting of the Fenland Family History Society is on Thursday 22nd September which is the A.G.M. and the speaker will be our President, Rev. Canon Wim Zwalf.
Prior to that date there will be the Family History Day on Saturday 17th September, at St Peter’s Church Hall. Doors open at 10:00 a.m.
[Judy Green]