SPERRIN OR SPERRING

I'm still hoping I can find out where my Sperrin/g family were in the 1700's and haven't given up hope yet; not quite at the Brick Wall. George John Sperring, (var: John George Sperrin) my GG Grandfather of 2 Regents Cottages, WSM. gave his birthplace as Blagdon in the 1851 census. Likewise, Elizabeth Paull, nee Sperrin, his daughter, gives her birth there in 1825, and yet there is no trace in Blagdon Parish Records. My question here is if you were born inside Blagdon Parish Boundaries would you expect a corresponding record in that parish or was it possible to register elsewhere. I'm well aware that West Harptree, a hotbed of Sperrings, is just a short walk away and wonder if there could be a connection there.

Highly likely that there could be a connection between Blagdon and West Harptree. For example, Isaac SPERRING of Blagdon married Mary WOOKEY at West Harptree in 1770. Their son, John was christened in Blagdon in 1771 but appears to have died there in 1796. To answer your question there was no compulsion to have a child baptised in the parish where it was born, unless there was a possibility of needing to rely on Parish Relief. Many children were baptised in the mother's home parish and sometimes adjacent parishes might share Ministers for a time and baptisms occur in either parish.

My family of Sperrings, from my Grandmother, came from Lympsham, some moving to Worle, though I can't trace them back further than the late 1700s