LIST 15 - BAPTISMS - ST JOHNS WILBERFORCE

 
 
St Johns Wilberforce was separated from St Matthews Windsor in 1825, becoming 
the 14th Church of England parish established in the colony. There were 100 
baptisms performed during the years 1826 to 1830, although 2 refer to children 
born before 1821, plus 14 performed after 1830 for children born between 
the years 1821 and 1830. On average there was about one baptism performed 
per fortnight over the decade.
 
The information recorded for each child is exactly as described for the post 
1826 presentation of St Phillips Sydney in List 3.
 
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 two remain unknown.
 
Forty four were convicts or former convicts (39%), 14 came free (13%) and 
44 were colonial born (40%).
 
With regard to the mothers; all were able to be identified.
 
Twelve were convicts or former convicts (11%), 12 came free (10%) and 
79 were colonial born (73%).
 
Eight (7%) of the births were illegitimate.
 
The Rev Mathew Devenish Meares was appointed as the chaplain to the districts 
of Pitt Town, Sackville Reach and Wilberforce on the 1st August 1825.
 
Rev  Meares stayed at the parish of St Johns until 1836 when he was replaced 
by the Rev John Espie Kean.
 
The Rev Frederick Wilkinson performed two baptisms in June 1827.
 
The records for the year 1825 have been lost. The first existing recorded 
baptism was performed on the 29th January 1826 by the Rev Meares.
 
The entry for Esther Ward is somewhat conjectural. The baptismal register 
records her father's surname as Howe not Ward and the mother's Christian names 
as Sophia Jane not just Sophia so she may not have been the daughter of Michael 
& Sophia Ward.
 
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.
 
Where the mother's surname has a second name separated by a slash, the 
surname after the slash is her married name at the time of the recording 
being made if she was married more than once. 
 
The reference number would direct the reader to the relevant entry in the 
original source document.
 
Entries on this list have the reference identifier "SJW" 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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