WADDINGTON BAPTISMS

Introducton

Given that there are about 50 Thornber baptisms between 1617 and 1703, it is surprising that there is only two male Thornbers who marry at Waddington in this period - George in 1667 and Giles in 1703. Waddington was a parochial chapelry in the parish of Mitton. I believe that a marriage carried out in a parochial chapelry would incur fees to the chapelry and the parish church and that money could be saved by having the marriage conducted in the mother church. A similar sitation arises in the nearby Parish of Whalley which had several parochial chapelries. Note that Bradford is a small hamet just outside Waddington and not to be confused with the City of Bradford.

Calendar Changes

Note that the calendar formerly used to go from 25th March (Lady Day) to 24th March. Hence dates in January, February and March 1st to 24th are LATER than dates from 25 March to 31 December before 1751. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in October 1582 to rectify inaccuracies in the former Julian Calendar. However, it was not accepted in England until 1751.

In England, the year 1751 started on 25 March and ran only until 31 December. The year 1752 then started on 1 January and ran until 31 December as it does now. To bring the calendar back in sequence with astronomical events such as the equinox and soltice, 11 days had to be removed so 2nd September 1752 was followed by 14 September. This led to riots by people who thought they had been deprived of 11 days of life. On the Julian Calendar, it was possible for a couple to marry on say 26 March 1630 and have a legitimate child on 26 February 1630, eleven months later!

It is not uncommon to find in family trees and in history books that the authors have converted a date in the Julian Calendar between 1 Jan and 25 March as if it were on the Gregorian Calendar in the years prior to the change in England. In addition, one sometimes sees a date expressed as 1721/2 meaning that it was 1721 on the Julian but 1722 on the Gregorian Calendar. There is scope for much confusion. The editor of the transcript has often allowed a section heading such as Christenings Continued 1785 when the entries which follow are for the next year without any clarification.

The parish clerk(s) continued to record baptisms as if the Julian calendar pertained until 1792. Below I have entered dates as they would have been for the Julian Calendar up to 1751 and thereafter on the Gregorian Calendar.

Family History

© Craig Thornber, England, United Kingdom    Main Site Address:  https://www.thornber.net/

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