What does D.DY mean in the middle of a name?

[JAP]

As Linda pointed out, the first letter of each word is larger than the rest of the word, so it definitely looks like a word of four characters with the second character indistinct.

BRIDGET D?DY TOWNSEND

So I agree that it is a middle name; and - of course - that middle name may, or may not, be Bridget's maiden surname.

Incidentally Loz, are you quite certain that her maiden name was READY?  I note that the index entry for her marriage lists it as TEADY - and T and D are sounds which are easily confused.

That marriage is the only TEADY anywhere in the NSW records.  There are, of course, plenty of records of READY.  But there are also records of DADY, DEDY and DEADY ...

Then again it could be simply an error by the stonemason - either he wrote the name down incorrectly on his piece of paper or he misread it when he came to do the job ...

JAP

[lozzab]

Yep, surname was definateley Ready.  It has been mis=transcribed on the NSW BDM indexes.  I have her death certificate and that of her children.  On all the certificates I have there is no mention of a middle name.  This has me stumped!!

Loz

[JAP]

The simplest explanation (and simplest explanations are often the best  ) is that her maiden name was inserted as a middle name - rather than a lengthy (and, more expensive) statement such as 'formerly READY'.  This was not uncommon.  And that the stonemason simply got the name wrong 

JAP