Defrocking Scandal!

[sindylin]

I am having trouble tracking my paternal grandad who was a Baptist minister. I can't find his DOB via his name alone and neither of the two churches I have traced him back to have this info either which I find strange, surely you would know how old your staff are?!! All I know is he was defrocked in October 1935 after it was discovered he and a lady who was one of the congregation, had an affair, the result being the birth of my dad. This resulted him leaving the ministry and his wife and two children (whom the church made financial provisions for)

Are records of this type of thing kept? Like a kind of "black list"?? If so where and for how long?

OR:

When a minister is qualified/ordaned surely there is a record/photo/write up on this? or a register??? I am hoping I can find his DOB from one of these if they do exist.

Any help, greatly appreciated!

thanks
sindylin

[Colin Moretti]

Hello Sindylin

Have you tried local papers for the date of the "defrocking" (perhaps even the News of the World? - one can imagine the headlines). Surely such an event would have achieved local notoriety even if not national?

Colin

[sindylin]

I had thought of that, but my great grandad wanted the whole thing kept quiet, and I know the church hushed it up at the time. (1935)

However, I expect the congregation found it interesting so maybe it was leaked to the papers. I'llcertainly follow up that route of enquiry. Thanks

Sindylin

[Karen Newman]

He may have been a lay preacher - and therefore not ordained, and not defrocked as such.

[Mutley]

I don't know if you might find something here:

http://www.croydononline.org/history/genealogy/newspapers.asp