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Genealogy

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Original poster

Baptism records help please

13 replies

Horsemad · 13/02/2021 16:07

How, how can I find out if someone was christened in a particular church?
I'm not local to the area and just need to know if a baptism took place (many years ago 🙂). Are there any sites I can sign up to to research this one query please?

OP posts:

RaspberryCoulis · 14/02/2021 09:10

FamilySearch is free and has registers of baptisms to search all you need is the person's name and an approx age. Ancestry too - but you'll pay for that. And you might not get the name of the church, just the parish.

Remember also that not everyone was baptised and that the further you go back into the past the less likelihood that registers have survived at all.

passtheorange · 14/02/2021 10:37

You could always write to the incumbent minister of the church and ask them to have a look in the parish register. Depends on how long ago it was, of course. They may have passed ancient registers to the bishop or to an archive for safe-keeping by now.

Bear in mind that people were not always baptised as babies, some weren't done until adulthood.

Original poster

Horsemad · 14/02/2021 11:38

Thanks both, I've registered with Family Search - that's a Mormon site, right? Do they do hold British records on there? I haven't found any Baptism records yet but will have a look in a minute.

Apparently the church is 'redundant' & has been for over 50 years. I have also approached the County Records Office, so hopefully they can point me in the right direction.

OP posts:

RaspberryCoulis · 14/02/2021 18:44

Family Search hold records from all across the planet. Yes they're run by the Mormons but don't let that put you off - they are the best free site out there.

Saker · 14/02/2021 22:20

Freereg also holds parish records but it is not a complete set by any means as it is transcribed by volunteers. But you might strike lucky and find yours is there. If it isn't it doesn't mean it doesn't exist though.

Original poster

Horsemad · 14/02/2021 23:17

Thanks Saker 🙂

Raspberry Coulis, I have lost a good few hours on that site tonight! 😁 Didn't find what I was looking for but got sidetracked and found quite a few ship's passenger lists where my Dad is listed as crew. Fascinating studying the info.

OP posts:

SwedishEdith · 15/02/2021 10:34

What county are you looking in?

Original poster

Horsemad · 15/02/2021 15:28

Hi @SwedishEdith it was Berkshire, now Oxfordshire I believe.

OP posts:

SwedishEdith · 15/02/2021 15:34

You could try RootsChat. Posters love getting stuck into trying to solve a mystery on there.

cabbageking · 15/02/2021 15:47

Send me the info and I can search Ancestry if you wish.

Original poster

Horsemad · 15/02/2021 15:48

Thank you, I'll head over there. 🙂

OP posts:

ConquestEmpireHungerPlague · 15/02/2021 17:38

I have access to parish records and bishops transcripts via FMP. I have a lot of ancestors in Berks/Oxon and have managed to trace my lot back to 16/1700s. Happy to take a look if you want to PM the names/dates. If it was recent, though (like post 1900 or so) the online records for baptisms are not so great and you'll do better with the CRO or the county historical society probably. Happy to try and help anyway.

Original poster

Horsemad · 17/02/2021 22:35

Thanks all, I have now found the information I was looking for. It's quite interesting, looking on these sites! 🙂

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