Do you know your godparents?
 

I am godmother to Best Mate's daughter, but neither she nor I can remember who the godfather was. My two aunts were my godmothers, but I don't remember a godfather.

Since this is an indication of trust and friendship (or the careful selection of someone who would promote the advancement of one's child) it's a useful nugget of information to store.

If you were christened, do you know who the sponsors were? Equally importantly, have you recorded it anywhere?

I haven't got any godparents because I wasn't christened.

Me neither.

I never understand why godparents never get any mention in C of E records. Surely it's important to know who they were?

The Huguenot baptism records give the godparents names and, like marriage witnesses, often give clues to other family members.

I know who my godmother was but haven't clue about a godfather!

I had two godmothers and one godfather.

One of my godmothers was a schoolfriend of my mother. She was a Matron at a local hospital in Cornwall and never married. My siblings were always extremely jealous as she sent me massive Easter eggs every year! She had a caravan at Treyarnon Bay in Cornwall and we used to stay there for surfing weekends.

My other godmother was the girl who used to babysit for my brother and sister before I was born. I didn't have so much contact with her as my parents moved to Devon but she was a constant in my life.

My godfather was the husband of my mother's younger sister. He was just lovely and such fun. Sadly he developed severe arthritis and died aged 69.

My baptism used to be online but it appears to have disappeared.
I was baptised in a very rural Devon church. We visited a few years ago when we were in Devon.

I knew my godmother very well, but she’s now passed away. I am still friendly with her daughter who is one month younger then me and started calling me Libby when she couldn’t say Elizabeth.

I know my goddaughter well also.

Neither have I, also not christened, but all my family are Atheist/Humanists so it just doesn't happen. Although I was illegitimate so not sure it could have happened anyway just on that fact.

Maggie, being illegitimate is no bar to being baptised, certainly C of E, but I understand some vicars in the past performed such baptisms out of grim duty, which probably put a lot of single mothers off! Or course, pre registration, it was very important to be baptised as that was the only legal proof of existence.

I am not baptised, much to the horror of my Victorian relations - my lovely Auntie Jessie, who would cheerfully have died for me, told me more than once that I was going to hell when I died.

My daughters are all baptised - their father's doing, not mine. Only one godparent took the role seriously and I can hardly remember who the others were.

OC

I knew all of mine. Dads sister, mums sister and dads brother. Uncle reckoned he was godfather to most of his nieces and nephews as he was the only one confirmed, which they often insisted on.
My elder daughter has my sister, my husbands best female friend and my best male friend. Daughter calls the female friend godmummy.
Younger daughter we had to have OH’s side of the family :rolleyes:
Twin cousins, who I can’t stand and have nothing to do with now and his male cousin who is now dead. We were asked if any of the godparents were confirmed, said yes the godfather. Didn’t mention that it was in the Catholic Church though.

Given my time again I wouldn’t have bothered but my mother in law was raised Catholic and I’d never have heard the end of it if I’d refused. The church where they were christened is the same one I married in. They obviously didn’t do many as my daughters are one under the other in the register, yes I’ve seen it, and almost three years apart.

I’m godmother to a niece. My sister grandchildren have all been christened except a three year old, because of the pandemic, and a three week old. Niece will get them done at the same time I assume.
We went to my great nieces christening a few weeks ago. I couldn’t believe how many people stood up when the vicar asked for the godparents to come forward. Must have been at least eight of them. Ridiculous.

I have a very fancy decorated certificate recording my baptism which took place when I was 2 months old. My aunt and uncle ( my mum's brother and his wife) and the parents of my sister's best friend were my godparents. I saw these two frequently when we lived in Brighton and have very fond memories of them but we lost touch after moving to Nottingham when I was 4. I did occasionally see my aunt and uncle until they died and they were at my wedding. I am in regular touch with their daughter and her family though.

Regarding my godparents who were the parents of my sister's friend: it was only a few years ago when reminiscing with my sister that she told me that the father was a vicar. I had no idea! To me they were always known as Uncle Percy and Auntie Bess and it had never occurred to me in about 74 years to wonder what he might have done for a living! I would have noticed if he had been the vicar who baptised me and signed my fancy certificate though.

I wasn't baptised, my father was an atheist and my mother didn't attend a church for years. My Catholic BFF was convinced we would be parted in the afterlife and now feels very bitter that she was made to feel so.

My godparents were 2 aunts and an uncle. My sister also had 2 aunts and an uncle. I think we only over lapped on one person but I can't remember. Either way they were in my life all through childhood.

I was not christened, so have no godparents.

My mother's godparents were her maternal aunt and a family friend, both of whom were in her life throughout theirs.

My older daughter was christened and I chose her godparents very carefully. They are, her paternal aunt, my best friend from uni, who moved and lived near us and was a regular churchgoer, and one of her father's long standing friends, who was an officer in the army at the time. Only the paternal aunt is still in any sort of contact at all. The other two drifted away very quickly. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. The only contact now is that I follow her godfather on Twitter.

After my mother died in 2016, I discovered that she had a godson, the son of a friend. I knew that I had met him once in about 1967, but when I spoke to him he did not remember that meeting and as far as he was concerned he had not seen her, or had any contact with her, since before 1958!

Mr Nomad is godfather to the son of a friend and has always stayed in touch. Godson was 21 recently and we were at his party, but it seems this may no longer be the norm.

I am godmother to my nephew, the elder son of my late brother. It has always been a very special relationship to me, especially as my nephew was only 12 when my brother died.

I am also godmother to the daughter of a dear friend. I saw her just last week at her parent's house and we have close contact. I'm overjoyed that she is pregnant with her first child after 13 years of marriage.