I'm hoping that the experience of those on this list will help me with a name problem. My 3rd great-grandfather, James Bell was married to Marion Campbell. I have found an entry in the OPR regarding James Bell, Royal Artillery Driver and Minnie Campbell giving up their names for marriage on 21 May 1812. I've been in contact with two professional researchers and one says that in his experience Minnie was not a nickname for Marion while the other indicates that Minnie was a common pet name for Marion. The first researcher indicated Minnie was most common as a nickname for forenames ending with "ina" and he felt strongly that the couple in the aforementioned 1812 marriage were not the parents of my 2nd great-grandmother, Elizabeth while the second researcher seems to have found information in James Bell's military service which matches some of the information I have on my James (I haven't seen it yet but that was the implication in an email I received from the researcher). So my question is, could Minnie and Marion be the same person. What do you think? Jacquie Winnipeg, MB Canada

Hi Jacquie, In my experience, Minnie was a diminutive for Williamina (Wilhemina). John

A quick scan of BMDS in the TImes shows Minnie being either a name in its own right or a diminutive for Mary. I have a feeling Marion and Mary are related as well. What is really strange, and I never knew, is that Minnie is an old Scots word for Mummy - in old poems its 'minnie and daddie'. Judy On 19 Nov 2008, at 23:09, Jean & John Johnston wrote: > Hi Jacquie, > In my experience, Minnie was a diminutive for Williamina (Wilhemina). > John > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCT-EDINBURGH- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message