"Under Church Scandal"

[TreeFlyingSquirrel]

Oh My Goodness!!

So, what does it typically mean in a baptismal register if another person is a "sponsor" to a baptism because a parent is Under Church Scandal?

Great Scott!!

[James18]

I suppose it would mean that someone is standing in for the parent whilst their child is baptized, as the parent is not allowed to attend the ceremony due to a prior 'misdemeanour' -- adultery? divorce? blasphemy? incest?

I suppose it depends how far you're going back, as I imagine fairly trivial things (to our modern standards) could be considered scandalous many years ago.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

What place, date, denomination? Is there an image on line, and if so, do you have a link?

Jay

[Janet in Yorkshire]

"Sponsor" in a baptism register, as opposed to "godmother/godfather," suggests RC to me.

Jay

[Anne in Carlisle]

Yes, sponsor is what I have seen in RC records too, otherwise 'godparents are not usually mentioned in older records. Although, as an aside, I had a chance to see my daughter's baptism record (1976) and the C of E book has the godparents recorded then.
Was the baptism that of an adult?
Anne

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I suppose it would mean that someone is standing in for the parent whilst their child is baptized, as the parent is not allowed to attend the ceremony due to a prior 'misdemeanour' -- adultery? divorce? blasphemy? incest?

I suppose it depends how far you're going back, as I imagine fairly trivial things (to our modern standards) could be considered scandalous many years ago.

In a C of E baptism, unless playing a part as one of the three godparents, technically the parent(s) of the child plays no part in the baptism ceremony.
It may be different in other denominations - from the registers I've consulted, it seems RC baptisms require two sponsors, one of each sex. However, I've never attended a RC baptism and it may well be that the parents have an active role to play in the proceedings.

Anne, not sure when C of E registers began to include a record of godparents - have seen the one in our parish church (still in use!) and was surprised to see my mum had a couple of godchildren. That makes me think it was it was certainly the practice by the late 1940's early 1950's, and could have begun earlier.

Jay

[keldon]

Until we find out more from treeflyingsquirrel, a google search suggests that the phrase may be in used in Scottish churches.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&q=%22Under+Church+Scandal%22&oq=%22Under+Church+Scandal%22&gs_l=serp.3...3569.4957.0.5680.2.2.0.0.0.0.87.169.2.2.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.0.0.ruhnhkz28tg

[TreeFlyingSquirrel]

Hi, it's an Old Church Register of Scotland. Also, this couple had several children with no mention of church scandal in the record. Also, this wasn't the first child. It was maybe 8 years into the marriage.

Sponsors not mentioned in any other baptism record of their kids.

[GallowayLass]

In CofS you can get grandparents, uncles etc. standing as sponsors for an illegitimate child. Is there a possibility due to time frame of husband being away from home and child wasn't actually his?

[Sylvia C]

I found baptisms in a Deeping St Mary, Lincolnshire Parish Register some weeks ago, where I could see the image, and the vicar had actually written 3 names faintly above the surname. It was done for every baptism over the period from 1844 to 1855 that I was looking at.

I could only assume that they were the names of the godparents, and that he wanted a permanent record of them.

Two of the entries helped support my theory that a certain marriage had taken place that had given the father a certain step-father

Those records were on FMP, although I had a bit of a struggle to actually access them

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Some vicars were very helpful to future family historians, Sylvia. Perhaps they were people watchers too

Jay

[Sylvia C]

:D

and yes, thumbs up to them!