In a message dated 04/06/2007 20:38:20 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Is there anyone on the list who could check the OPRs for more details on this marriage, taken from familyhistoryonline? Parish Bishopwearmouth, St. Michael alternatively Bishopwearmouth in county Dur Married on 29/10/1836 Groom James Masterton residence – other – Bride Ann Longstaff As the date you have given is before the beginning of Civil Registration on 1 July 1837 you will find very little "extra" detail on the original marriage entry, probably just the names of the witnesses and of the clergyman, plus a statement as to whether the wedding was after the calling of Banns or by Licence. As far as the addresses are concerned, there will probably be nothing said: it might say "of this parish" or, if either party was of some other parish, it will say so - "of the parish of Washington" for instance. Even that information could well be a red-herring, as "of" means just "living there at the time", without saying how long they had lived there and saying absolutely nothng, of course, about where they had been born! Another little point of nomenclature - we tend to keep the phrase "Old Parish Registers" (OPRs) for the Old (ie pre-1855) Parish Registers of Scotland, as indexed by the Registrar General for Scotland. It is not normally used in an English context. We sometimes refer to "ancient" parishes, but strictly speaking that means those in existence in the year 1600. At the period you mention there was no ambiguity in referring just to "Bishopwearmouth parish church" as there only was one. Later in the 19th century, as the population of the parish expanded, new parishes were formed out of the old St Michael's, and then it is advisable to mention the dedication, especially if you don't know which suburb each covered. Nowadays St Michael's has been re-named (pretentiously mis-named, I would say) "Sunderland Minster"! Geoff Nicholson