LIST 12 - BAPTISMS - ST JAMES SYDNEY

 
 
St James Sydney had a confused beginning, the foundation stone was laid in 
1819 by Gov. Macquarie but this was for an intended court house. In 1821 plans 
were changed to build it as a church instead and after separating from St 
Phillips Sydney the first service was held in 1822 becoming the 11th Church 
of England parish established in the colony before being finally consecrated 
in 1824. There were 462 baptisms performed during the years 1824 to 1830, 
although 5 refer to children born before 1821, plus 42 performed after 1830 
for children born between the years 1821 and 1830. On average there was about 
one baptism performed per week over the decade.
 
The information recorded for each child is exactly as described for the post 
1826 presentations of St Phillips Sydney in List 3, even for the pre 1826 entries 
since Rev Hill regularly recorded the place of birth and occasionally the 
father's occupation.
 
The list is presented in chronological order by date of baptism then 
alphabetically by father's surname. 
 
With regard to the fathers; the arrival details of a 44 remain unknown whilst 
in a further 16 cases the ship of arrival remains unknown (13%).
 
One hundred and ninety five were convicts or former convicts (42%), 34 
were soldiers or former soldiers (7%), 181 came free (39%) and 51 were colonial 
born (11%).
 
With regard to the mothers; the names of 47 (10%) were not recorded and 
the arrival details of a 55 remain unknown whilst in a further 8 cases the ship 
of arrival remains unknown (14%).
 
Eighty were convicts or former convicts (17%), 238 came free (52%) and 130 
were colonial born (28%).
 
Thirty three (7%) of the births were illegitimate.
 
There were three duplicate entries.
 
Eight of the children were born at sea.
 
The entry for the Rev Richard Hill in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 
states he was "given charge" of the parish in 1821 and became its "regular 
minister" in 1824. The first existing recorded baptism was performed on the 
11th February 1824. Whether the records for the years 1821,1822,1823 have been 
lost or no baptisms were actually performed at St James for those years is 
unclear at this time. It should be noted that Rev Hill was still assisting Rev 
Cowper at St Phillips until 1824.
 
Rev Hill stayed until his death in 1836. Archdeacon Thomas Scott performed one 
baptism in 1825 and two in 1829. The Rev Samuel Marsden performed one baptism 
in 1829. Rev Thomas Hassall performed three baptisms in 1829. Rev Alfred 
Brown performed one baptism in 1829. Rev William Cooper performed two baptisms 
in 1830 and Archdeacon William Broughton performed one in the same year. 
 
For the years 1824 and 1825 the officiating minister is not recorded although 
most if not all would have been performed by Rev Hill. 
 
When the new standardized registers were introduced in 1826 the information 
recorded for each baptism was; date of baptism, date of birth, Christian name 
of child, Christian and family name of father, Christian name of mother (family 
name only when the child was illegitimate), the place of residence of the 
family, quality or profession of the father and minister performing the 
ceremony.
 
Unlike the Rev Cowper at St Phillips who mostly recorded the "abode" simply 
as Sydney, the Rev Hill invariably recorded the street name and on one occasion 
at least, the street number as well !
 
The Rev Hill also tended to write very full and descriptive fathers' 
occupations. As a result the information in this column has spilled over into 
extensive end-notes.
 
The reference number would direct the reader to the relevant entry in the 
original source document. The numbers 23, 44 & 45 were omitted. The numbering 
system was re-initialized in 1826 with the introduction of the new printed 
registers. 
 
Entries on this list have the reference identifier "SJS" on List 1. To locate 
an entry on this list; firstly an alphabetical search on the name would be 
made on List 1 from which the date of baptism would be retrieved, secondly using 
the appropriate date, the baptism would be located on this list and finally 
an alphabetical search on the name would be made on the baptismal date if 
there should be more than one entry for that date. 

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