Fredericus Houlton/Wootton

Because Fred was born in 1877, William Houlton who died in 1873 cannot be his father. It is strange therefore that when he was baptised, it took place three years later on 15/3/1880 at St Dominics catholic church in Stone. Neither William Houlton or Mary his mother were catholic at the time of their births and marriage. The baptism record is written in latin with the fathers name recorded as Gulielmi which is the latin for William and his mothers name recorded as Maria. The recorded surname is Wootton. Perhaps the real father was a catholic and wanted his child to be baptised as such or possibly Mary went to the catholic church as she may have been too ashamed to go to her own church for the baptism for fear that somebody would know the real father could not be William Wootton. It remains a mystery.