8,366 baptisms on the Bishop Auckland Wesleyan Methodist Circuit from November 1838 to March 1975.

This circuit covered a large area around Bishop Auckland. Residences mentioned include Auckland Park, the Batts, Beechburn, Billy Row, Binchester, Bishop Auckland, Black Boy, Bolam, Bowdon Close, Bracks Lodge and Cottage, Breckon Hill, Butterknowle, Byers Green, Canny Hill, Chilton and Little Chilton, Close House, Cockfield, Cockton Hill, Copley Bent, Coundon, Coundon Grange, Crook, Dial Stob Hill, East Thickley, Eldon, Eldon Lane, Escomb, Etherley (and Etherley Dene, Lane, and Moor), Evenwood, Evenwood Gate, Ferryhill, Firtree, Fylands Bridge, Gaunless Bank, Grahamsley, Grange Hill, Gurney Villa or Valley, Hamsterley, High Etherley, High Gordon, High Lands, Howdon, Hunwick Colliery, Lands, Lands Bank, Leasingthorne, Leeholme, London, Low Etherley, Low Gordon, Low Lands, Low One Farm, Low Spennymoor, Merrington, Middlesbrough, Middlestone, Middridge Colliery, Mount Pleasant, New Coundon, New Shildon, Newton Cap, North Beechburn or Bitchburn, Oaks, Old Shildon, Potter’s Cross, Raby House, Ramshaw, Redworth, Ricknall, Roddymoor, Seldom Seen, Shildon, Slack, South Church, Spennymoor, Spring Gardens, St. Andrew Auckland, St. Helen’s Auckland, Stones End, Sunnyside, Toad Pool, Todd Hills or Toddles, Toft Hill, Toronto, Tottenham, Town Head, Tudhoe Iron Works, Waterhouses, West Auckland, West Cornforth, West Mill, Westerton, Westerton Old Pit, Wheat Bottom, White-Lee or Whiteley Colliery, Whitworth Colliery, Willington, Witton le Wear, Witton Park, Witton Park Iron Works, Wolsingham, and Woodside.

Unlike Anglican baptisms, Methodist baptisms do not include the occupation of the father, but they do usually include the child’s birth date.

Samples:

  • 12 Mar 1843 Dorothy Longstaff, of Bishop Auckland, daughter of Robert & Ann Longstaff, 5 years 4 months
  • 1 Dec 1870 Edward Cleasby, of Coundon, born 6 Nov 1870, son of David & Sarah Cleasby
  • 9 Mar 1901 Lilian May Temperley, of Frederick St., Bishop Auckland, born 16 May 1899, daughter of Nicholas & Sarah Temperley
  • 23 Jan 1930 Hazel Linsley, of Lands Bank, born 30 Dec 1929, daughter of William & Mary Linsley