Family heirloom worn by 20 babies

Three-month-old christened in 125-year-old dress worn by generations of ancestors

A 3-month-old baby was baptised last weekend wearing a christening gown handmade by his great-great-great grandmother 125 years ago and worn by 20 members of his family.

Baby George Parfitt was the fifth generation of his family to be baptised in the Victorian lace and cotton dress, which was hand stitched in 1884 by his ancestor Elizabeth Bull.

George’s great-great grandmother first wore the gown at her christening in 1906 and the antique has been worn by every Parfitt baby since.

“Elizabeth was a seamstress and it was beautifully made from cotton and lace and it is still exquisite, a work of art,” says George’s mum Laura, 29. “It’s such a beautiful dress and considering it is 125 years old it is in an amazing condition. We want more children and they’ll all get christened using the gown.”

MFM mums, do you have any long-running traditions, or some new ones you’ve started with your own family?