Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I would welcome help understanding an entry in the Parish Register for St Peter's Church Formby.

I have found an entry for the christening of an ancestor, James Wright, the son of James Wright and Mary Johnson for 26 May 1788 in the Parish Register. It is one of a group of christenings entered at the end of the year under a heading "the undermentioned being Roman Catholic are not inserted in their proper places thro an omission of their names not been given in due time"

I knew the family were Roman Catholic and that the parents James and Mary were not married until 1801 and this is another story but had not expected to find this christening in this C of E Church Register.

The wording of the note seems to suggest that James's and the other RC christenings were carried out elsewhere. If so where would this have been and why would they be entered in the Register for St Peter's. Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

In the 18th century there were RC records similar to census records known as 'Returns of Papists' you might know about these already. The last one appears to have taken place in 1780. The parish may have been keeping a record of RCs so that should information be requested about RCs in the parish the information is easier to provide.


Blue

Thanks Blue.

I did think it might be something to do with the Papist Returns but I thought these lists were more extensive each year as they included all family members with address and occupations. There is I understand, a copy of the 1767 list for Lancashire in the Picton Library ...or was until the modernisation of the building ... and I do plan on taking a look at this after the holidays.

But I came to the conclusion that these Parish Register entries might be something differenent.

Mike

If you google Formby church history and find the one from British History online you will find the following

¶As already stated, the greater part of the population adhered to the Roman Church at the Reformation, and so late as 1718 Bishop Gastrell found that a quarter of the inhabitants were still faithful. (fn. 111) In 1767 the number of 'papists' had increased to 363. (fn. 112) The names of the priests have not been recorded before 1701, when Fr. Richard Foster, S.J., was here, his stipend being £16, of which £10 was given by the people. (fn. 113) The Jesuits had charge of the chapel down to 1779, but secular priests also visited the place. After a short interval one of the latter, the Jesuit order having been suppressed, received charge here in 1784, and the succession is continuous from that time. A new chapel was built in 1798 on the old site. (fn. 114) The church of Our Lady of Compassion was erected in 1864 at some distance from the old one. (fn. 115)

Reading the above there was a RC chapel before one of the present ones was built in 1798 which is when RC records for Formby begin. The registers as far as I know are at Lancashire Record Office. The next RC church would be at Ince Blundell. Until 1798 most RCs would have been buried at St Peter which was built in the 1730s and usually they will have something like popish or Romanist by their name.

If you read the whole of the entry on British History online for Formby it is very interesting.

I've viewed the 'Returns of Papists' 1767 a few times in Liverpool Central Library since the refurbishment. They are in the Picton Library up the staircase on the first gallery. The last time I was there the bookcase had the number 260 at the top. The two volumes are dark green in colour and were on the bottom shelf. The volume 'Diocese of Chester' covers Formby.


Blue

Blue
Thanks Blue. I will take a trip over in the New Year.
.............

Hilary
Thank you for this explanation Hilary and for the reference to the information about Formby on The British History Online site. An interesting read.

It would seem then that Roman Catholic Baptisms would be at the old Catholic Chapel and these would be recorded in the Parish Register for St Peter's for some legal or regulatory requirement.

Update .... I spent a very useful hour or so in Liverpool Library today looking through the Returns of Papists 1767 for the Formby and Ainsdale areas. They have been removed from the Picton Library shelves to the Achives on the third floor. There is also a copy of the 1705 return there as well. They are no longer kept on the open shelves and have to be requested at the Desk.

Thanks for letting us know that. Hope you got some good results for yourself.