This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: GordonPertJohnson Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.ans.general/5515.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I started to reply and seem to have lost my reply. The gist is: Any Fees charged by the church were local, and not national policy. They were often geared to pay the clerk for his trouble, rather than have the church pay him directly. They were very small amounts. Govt. tax on registers: only 1794-1797, if I remember right. "Contracted" is date the minister was notified of the intention to marry, and the banns being read in the church for the first time (of three, as required by law). The couple were actually married on 12th August. Where a father is named in a marriage entry, this is normally to differentiate the bride (or groom) from others of the same name in the parish. The designation of the father as "mason", was to specify his trade where there was someone else of the same name as before. This can make it easier to identify a family line. Dundee City Archives might have a listing of local stonemasons which might help you further with this line. They often had to pay a fee to the council in order to practice their trade in the city. The local "incorporation" of masons might have details of men entering the trade, usually as an apprentice or son or son-in law of another mason. The word Mason meant everything from a simple worker in stone, to a fully trained craftsman, to what we would now regard as an architect. Gordon. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.