A NINE-WEEK-OLD baby was baptised in a heirloom christening gown which was first made during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Kobe Kurtis Sutcliffe became the 35th member of a Darwen family to wear the white broderie anglaise gown during the service at Bolton Road United Reformed Church, Darwen.

The outfit was created in 1864 by Lancashire cotton mill worker, Eleanor Thornber, and it was worn by all seven of her children. This sparked off a tradition where young babies in the family would be christened wearing the gown.

Kobe’s mother, Jessica Bingham, 23, and partner Ryan Sutcliffe, 29, were bowled over by the occasion.

She said: “I will remember today for the rest of my life.”

Jessica’s son became the latest child to wear the family gown and his name will be sown in blue embroidery on the petticoat underneath, joining the rows and rows of names of the other 34 children.

Kobe also became the latest baby of the new generation to wear the gown following his grandfather, George Hill, 46, and great grandmother, Maude Hill, 64.

Jessica, of Wood Street, Darwen, added: “This means everything to me. The gown has been in the family for generations and now Kobe’s name will be on the gown forever.”

Around 50 family members and friends filled the Ashleigh Street hall, described as the ‘family church’, for an hour-long service.

Rev Lena Talbot, who is the great great aunt to Kobe, said: “The gown was made in Darwen in 1864 while Charles Dickens was penning and Queen Victoria was on the throne. It has been in the family ever since. What made it really special was Kobe became the first baby of the new generation to be baptised.”

The 70-year-old, of Duxbury Street, who herself was christened in the gown in 1948, said it was never created with the intention of passing the gown from generation to generation but the practice evolved over time.

The Darwen family received national coverage when Jessica Power, the 32nd baby, was baptised wearing the gown in 2008.