Right off the bat, we have a problem using "OPR + standard practice" in the same sentence! I have been transcribing Banns from original images (East Lothian FreeReg Project) and have found that the bride could be described as 'Mary Brown, widow of James Brown', or 'widow Brown, daughter of George Ross'. Sometimes the bride's father's name is omitted. To date I have not found mention of the former wife's name if the groom was a widower. No surprise there. Off topic a bit, but interesting as a commentary on the time; if the bride to be worked in the household of an 'important' citizen, this name was often given rather than her father's name. Elizabeth Dods Alan Ireland <ireland@pavilion.co.uk> wrote: I too have been wondering what standard practice for the name recorded for a second marriage in the OPRs was. Would it have been the maiden name or the previous husband's name? Given that for formal documents in Scotland even now a woman is known as e.g. "Jessie Dickson or Ferrie" (Dickson being the maiden name), I suspect the maiden name would be the one used but would be very pleased to hear from any experts! Best wishes, Sheena Ireland -----Original Message----- From: Graeme Boocock [mailto:graeme.boocock@utoronto.ca] Sent: 29 March 2005 21:30 To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Chartered Accountant vs. Accountant His naval records contain a statement from his grandmother (dated 1850) that reads, "I, Jessie Dickson or Ferrie, widow residing at Gilmerton in the County of Edinburgh do solemnly and sincerely declare that James Smith is my grandson. That he was born in Edinburgh on the Twenty first day of October One thousand eight hundred and forty three. He was left with me by his father and mother when he was an infant and has been with me and under my charge ever since and has my full consent to join Her Majesty's Navy." Also, Mary Crichton Ferrie (b: Dec. 3, 1822) married twice later in life: first to James Laurie (1849, Glasgow), and secondly to John Brodie (1870, Edinburgh). At her earliest recorded marriage (1849) her maiden name is recorded... this makes me suspect she never married James Smith, Accountant. Actually, would it have been standard to record a maiden name or a previous husband's surname at a second marriage in the OPRs? Graeme Boocock (Toronto) ______________________________