8th: Wouldn't you know it...

As soon as I decide there's a lull on updates to the visible, published, data, along comes a bunch more, just after I've updated the online databases!

Thanks Bobby, the GRAY updates will appear in due course.

Bobby saw my posting (page down to my one) on the Caithness.org forum asking for GRAY descendants who might be interested in proving a theory about two GRAY families in Watten, Caithness, by joining the GRAY DNA project.

He then acted on a hunch about a BRUCE in his tree, and sure enough, found an additional daughter for the family of William GRAY and Margaret SUTHERLAND.
There's a Margaret who married a William MURRAY and lived at Olgrinmore, Halkirk (1851).

Behind the scenes however, Harry and I have been having fun sorting out his STEPHENSON family of Edinburgh, formerly Kelso, Ancrum, Gifford, and as he's just found out, Cumberland, thanks to Sonia in Mississippi. I'm just tagging along for the ride as there's a WIGHT connection in there that one day we may prove is related to the other STEPHENSON/WIGHT connection that makes us distant cousins.

16th: How remote can you go?

This comment being prompted by publishing the ROW data for a new member of the ROW(E) DNA project. As he had roots in Devon, I've incorporated him into the ROWE related pages of the DNA Projects Portal. There's absolutely no way we'll ever find a paper trail to prove any connection, which connection is most likely pre-genealogical timeframes, but nonetheless, on the markers so far, there is indication of a (very distant) connection.

Have been re-examining info I have on the family of Ralph Archibald & Helen (CROW) FAIRBAIRN, and the WIGHTs of Longformacus, both families being forbears of David RICHARDSON (no relation). In due course his data will be included on their respective dna projects (FAIRBAIRN, WIGHT) in the hope of finding participants, but again, I keep getting sidetracked.

10th: and then I continued...

I'm in the middle of tidying up my great grandmother, Helen Sinton WIGHT's future web page entry, having realised that I've never posted her on the web.
Doing so involves quite a bit of tidy up and re-checking of years old research against data now more readily available.
I had never before found Helen/Ellen in the 1871 census as she wasn't obvious in Scotland, nor in Northumberland, which latter place she apparently emigrated from.
All is now explained, probably along with a family story from my Great Aunt Millie, who was rather found of increasing the importance of her ancestors. Dear Aunt Millie used to maintain that Helen, her mother, was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother. A basic date check ensures that this is simply a complete load of rubbish, let alone that a farmer's daughter from Maxton in Roxburghshire was highly unlikely to hold such a position.

As with most family stories, there was probably a grain of truth in there somewhere, should we ever recognise it when it hit us.
Tonight it hit me. I found my great grannie, Helen Sinton WIGHT in the 1871 census, with the same occupation as on her emigration papers 4 years later. She is a housemaid in Belgrave Square - to William SCOTT, Baronet. (He's Sir William SCOTT of Ancrum, the 6th Baronet, and living at Ancrum, Roxburghshire, in the 1841 and 1851 census).

Poor Aunt Millie, I don't think she would approve of my demolishing her myths.

I've decided that this branch of the family had wanderlust. Helen travelled to London for work, and later emigrated, apparently on her own, to New Zealand.
I've previously also found that her mother Helen WIGHT nee SINTON, had travelled to America, as her photo was taken in Cleveland, Ohio, where she had presumably gone to visit her son William.

4th: Our ancestors didn't move around much !!!

Received a surprising email last night, from Lyall in Westport whose grandfather had land next to land called "Crebers" locally.
He was wondering what I could tell him about Harry son of John A CREBER and Adelaide DOIDGE, original owner of said land.
Given that I had him born in Victoria (1863), and his father dying in Victoria (1886) I'd simply assumed they'd stayed put in Australia. Which turns out to be far from the case.
An immigration record on the "Claud Hamilton" showed the family moving from Melbourne to Hokitika in 1866, yet his two known siblings were born in the 1870s, back in Victoria.
Mum Adelaide shows up in the 1893 electoral rolls as a Matron at Larrikins, Westland and a death of the right age is recorded in 1914.
Harry married a Mary Elizabeth KING at Westport in his mother's house in 1901.
Papers Past has turned up some delightful little snippets, including that H Creber, assumed to be Harry, was coming third in an egg laying contest (!) with his silver wyandottes in 1905 (15 eggs that week 109 year to date).
Mary Elizabeth looks like she died 1937; Harry's brother John Ambrose looks like the 1899 death of the right age; but as yet, Harry eludes us, not being obvious in either NZ or Victorian death indexes.
Also in the area, gold mining at Kanieri, is an Ambrose CREBER, who may, or may not, be Harry's uncle. This family had both a John Ambrose, and an Ambrose, in the same family, both baptised Whitchurch, Devon.

So, never believe anyone saying our ancestors never moved around very much.

Also made time to review the earliest WIGHTs. Bye bye Janet SWORD, hello Margaret HOUD.

More updates in the FAIRBAIRN DNA Project - check out the Project Diary.

3rd: WIGHT updates

Given my WIGHT activity at the moment, I thought it was time to publish what I had on the supposed earliest WIGHT in my tree, James, marr. to Jennat SWORD.
However, as I say on the page, reviewing them after a number of years, I have to admit I need to recheck the links given I have them as having two sons named James, and the youngest looks rather unlikely to be the parents of James who married Issobel THOMSON.

Also published, on the WIGHT Surname DNA Project, is an abbreviated chart of their descendants in the hope a representative may be found.

Looking at the gaps in my knowledge, I started trying to find what happened to Robert the son of Robert WIGHT and Janet SCOTT. And quickly realised why I appear not to have progressed far with that line. Can't find them after 1881 in England or Scotland, and as yet, nor in USA or Canada. All I managed to advance was to finally find his marriage to Mary, despite Scotland's People having indexed Robert as WRIGHT, instead of the WIGHT his certificate states (correction lodged), and changed her from UnknownSurname into Mary BOYD.

Web pages updated to include an introductory page for The Wights.

1st: New dna project

The passing of Sinton WIGHT, mentioned on the 26th, made me realise that if I want to find dna representatives of most of my main families to find more links by using the science now available, I'd better make sure I find participants. But for WIGHTs, firstly a project was needed as none currently existed.
A WIGHT Surname DNA project now exists, and even has its first participant, not one of mine, but a transfer from the National Geographic Genographic Project, with very early Massachusetts WIGHTs from England (and an unusual haplotype).

Check the FAIRBAIRN DNA Project diary for some exciting updates. In a few weeks time we may finally find out whether or not Ed's and my theory about the John in New York whose father was a Walter FAIRBAIRN of Roxburghshire, is or isn't, a son of Walter and Agnes (ROBISON) FAIRBAIRN.
Depending on the degree of (mis)match, we may yet need another participant from the NY line, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, as it has taken so long to find a willing taker. Fingers crossed.

And yet more Caithness BAINs. Stuart has contacted me, presumably having seen the blog entries about the Manitoba BAINs the other day. His relations, although he's in England.
Must be something in the spring air over the other side of the world at the moment, waking everyone up.

28th: Catherine found, family rumour solved

Some years ago I unravelled some discrepancies about a couple of Catherine BAINs, one the dtr of James BAIN and Helen SUTHERLAND, the other the dtr of Donald BAIN and Maggie TAYLOR.
The latter died 1904, the former couldn't be found in Scotland.
I think I've found her.

While checking off some of the British Guianian FAIRBAIRNs who had emigrated to Manitoba, I strayed off into checking off what else I hadn't already checked against the Manitoba BDMs, and against the 1916 Canadian Census, available again now. (Interesting indexing on the FAIRBAIRNs, they were indexed as FAUBARIN, with a birthplace that clearly read British Guiana, but was indexed as British Columbia, took me a while to find them!).

In checking off the Manitoba BDMs, I re-discovered the family of James and Catherine Isabella MANSON in Brandon, whose 1891 marriage was indexed with Katherine as BARIE.
However, today's checking of a son's birth clearly showed her as Catherine Isabella BAIN, and a census showed her as born Jul 1866.
This just happens to match the data for Catherine, dtr of James and Helen (SUTHERLAND) BAIN. Her husband James MANSON's sister Elizabeth married Donald BAIN, Catherine's brother, and descendants of Donald and Elizabeth (MANSON) BAIN had family letters that indicated a connection between the families, but didn't know what it was.
QED, a successful conclusion to the day.

Decided to branch out in my DNA studies, and add in another of my main research lines. I've applied to set up a WIGHT project. The pages are rather preliminary, as FamilyTree DNA haven't yet approved it as a project, but none currently exists, and it doesn't seem to be claimed by WHITE or WIGHTMAN as an alternate name.

26th: Peter Sinton WIGHT

Sad to hear of Peter Sinton WIGHT's death today. One of the few of my Scottish WIGHT relations that I've actually met.
Back in 1995 I bowled into Denholm, stopped a passing stranger and asked if anyone by the name of WIGHT still lived in the village, explaining that Peter Sinton WIGHT, the brother of my great grandmother, Helen Sinton WIGHT, had lived there, but that was back in 1929.
The helpful lady told me that there was indeed a Sinton still in the village, and his brother, "and that's Sinton's daughter there, off to play golf".
Had to be related!
I went to the house indicated only to find that he was away visiting his son, but another friendly face popped out of the house across the way asking what I was after.
Turned out that he was the golf widower, the son-in-law. Who took me around the corner to introduce me to some other relations.
Not that I figured out at the time how they fitted in. Took many years before I did that, and even then it was only by chance that the daughter of this last household and I found out some time into some correspondence we were having about assorted Borders families, that she was the person I'd been looking for, having met her fleetingly back in 1995.
In 2006 we all met, on a swelteringly hot summers day.
Way back when I started all this genealogical digging, I really never thought that I would end up actually meeting living relations in Scotland. Seemed way too long a stretch given that Helen Sinton WIGHT (daughter of Walter WIGHT and Helen SINTON) had emigrated to New Zealand, on her own, back in 1875!!
R.I.P. Sinton it was good to have met you, however fleetingly.

25th: Remember to review your data!

Always good practice to review your data. One thing all these DNA studies have done is cause me to look at a heap of relations that I've not re-examined evidence for their assorted events in a long time.
The latest has resulted in a webpage comment being added about the James WIGHT/Isabella HALL couple, as working back the estimated ages/dates you get to a potentially rather young Mum for Isabella. They aren't outrageously out, just a bit tight, and do assume that Jane STEVENSON did get her correct age on her headstone.

More FAIRBAIRN DNA Results in, still showing a good match between the James & Helen (GOODFELLOW) and the Trotter & Jane (FAIRBAIRN) FAIRBAIRN lines of Spencerville, Ontario and Sunderland, Durham, respectively, and still a match, although less strong, to the others assumed to be down from John & Bessie (FFLINT) FAIRBAIRN.

May 21, 2008: Hello hello hello !

Birth certs have arrived to confirm my educated guesses as to the fate of John A T WIGHT. Yes he did move south into Northumberland, become a member of the Constabulary, and marry Elizabeth PERCIVAL. Son John George WIGHT was born Stocksfield Broomley where J A T W was a Police Constable, and dtr Janet Hobkirk WIGHT was born in the Police Station at Rothbury where J Q T W was by then a Sergeant of Police.
Having fun checking FAIRBAIRN loose ends and tidying all sorts of things up as I realise I have duplications in my database, now that I can access census records more readily.
I had previously concentrated on all the Archibald and Alison/Alice FAIRBAIRNs I could find, but given the recent-ish DNA revelations, I've extended investigations to Roberts, and Georges - but keep getting sidetracked, surprise surprise.
Did stumble across the death of Robert son of George FAIRBAIRN and Janet PURDIE, so there are several more twigs on that tree, which someone else has obviously been interested in, as there are patron submissions on the IGI for the family of Robert and Elizabeth (WAYNESS) FAIRBAIRN.
All of which gave some light relief from trying to sort out the discrepancies in the family of William FAIRBAIRN & Sarah FARRELL.

May 4, 2008: WIGHT hunch looks good

A bit more detective work on John A T WIGHT's marriage showed that the bride was indeed highly likely to be Elizabeth PERCIVAL. Not only was she in the area in 1901, but her mother was an Isabella IVISON, and there's a birth registered Alnwick in 1905 of an Isabella Ivison WIGHT. So the circumstantial evidence is indeed mounting, so much so that I've included them in the WIGHT tree as such, and will hopefully verify the id by a birth cert.
Prompted by all that success I guess I'd better complete the family and figure out what happened to John A T's sister Helen after her marriage.

Another RICHARDSON will included on my "Original documents" sub site - prompted by also including the two family letters (1961) that mention the snuff horn/box ?presented to? James RICHARDSON of the Eastern & Western Hammermen of Portsburgh, Edinburgh.
Does anyone know where it currently is, including hopefully, the letter inside it explaining it?

May 2, 2008: Yet another Northumberland copper

The newfound descendant (Margaret Elliot WIGHT) of John WIGHT and Jessie HOPKIRK turns out to have married a David KING, confection baker from Ayr.
Brother John Adam T WIGHT moved south, at least temporarily, as in 1901 he shows up as a police constable in Corbridge, Northumberland,, although it looks like he may have stayed south and joined my growing collection of Northumberland constabulary relations, as there's a marriage in 1902 to either Elizabeth PERCIVAL or Margaret BELL, and a birth of a Janet Hobkirk WIGHT in Rothbury in 1909 that looks like it might match this family. I suspect Elizabeth is the more likely candidate as she appears to be in Corbridge in 1901 and was born in Rockcliff, Cumberland, which would fit with the Brampton Cumberland marriage.
Sister Helen Thomson WIGHT married a Robert Baptie CAMPBELL, stone mason and was living Heiton in 1901. WIGHT tree updated.

Apr 29, 2008: SINTON surprise

An interesting couple of days working on my favourite trees, the Border WIGHTs and SINTONs.
Both arose from GenesReunited contacts, and although it has turned out that neither are conclusively linked, information has been updated, thanks to Stephen, for prompting more research on the families of John WIGHT and Jessie HOBKIRK, resulting in another child for the family.
Also to Bill, ex of Jedburgh, now in Oz for our SINTON correspondence, during which it turned out that I'd met his Mum back in 1995!
Was able to set him straight about some of his earlier SINTON connections (family of James SINTON and Isabella FLEMING, whom I've now added to the SINTON Surname DNA Project patriarchs page), and may even find someone to join the DNA project to see if they do or don't relate to my Southdean lot.

And just when I was settling back from a fun update session, in comes an email from Perth, WA asking if I knew anything about a Jane SINTON of Southdean who had married James TELFER.
Yes, but not much, just an 1836 marriage where Jane was of Southdean and James of Jedburgh. I'd not found anything further in Scotland for the couple. No wonder really as they'd emigrated, arriving Adelaide in 1839. The Jedburgh OPR added that James was a farm servant of Edgerston, in Jedburgh Parish and Jane of Dikeraw, Parish of Chesters (where the SINTON descendant Janet MATHER nee SINTON was from about 1810 thru at least 1841) and Verity provided the birth/death dates and children. This latter showed a 2nd son Peter and 1st dtr Jane, which, together with a birth date/place for mother Jane of 1812, Southdean, means I'm happy to welcome them to the family of Peter SINTON and Jane WIGHT, and look forward to learning more.

Apr 3, 2008: More happenstance - WIGHT/HALL

While looking for something else I happened to notice an 1858 death cert. for a Margaret WIGHT, mother's maiden name HALL and thought that might be interesting. Sure enough her parents were given as James WIGHT, joiner, dec'd and Isabella HALL, which matches the profile for her to be a sister to my Jane WIGHT who married Peter SINTON, although she could belong to one of the other James WIGHT/Isabella HALL couples. For now, I'll claim her as one of mine, because of the "joiner" occupation for James, and her birthplace of Jedburgh.

Mar 24, 2008: Aberdeen to Portsmouth STEPHENSONs, new McDONALDs

Two postings in my Guestbook on the same day from newfound rellies, or at least since I last read it.
One had info on a new twig on the WIGHT/STEPHENSON line, which just happens to be the line where Harry and I have been chasing a mysterious Hugh STEPHENSON with dtr Margaret who married a John WIGHT, who may or may not have been the widower living in the same building in 1841 in the Fleshmarket, Edinburgh in 1841.
Hugh is highly likely to be the father of the Robert STEPHENSON who married Isabella WIGHT, so who on earth is John WIGHT, horse dealer, or is he just a complete coincidence?
The other was on the BAIN/SUTHERLAND line down from James BAIN's dtr Helen Sutherland BAIN who married George McDONALD. Good to know a bit more about that line.

Look forward to hearing more about both families.
WIGHT and BAIN descendant charts updated with interim findings.

Nov 27, 2007: Doubly related?

And wonder of wonders, this newfound NZ WIGHT descendant is a relative of the last TINNING at Fauld, recently sold (see report on web), AND has a Jane GRAHAM further back up his ancestry, so just possibly we are connected twice over, once via Borders WIGHTs and once via Arthuret GRAHAMs. He also added that another relative currently owns Hornick Hill.

Nov 26, 2007: The WIGHT stuff...

The new New Zealand relation isn't a SINTON descendant after all, well he is, but of the Jedburgh SINTONs, not the Southdean ones. His connection to me being via his grandmother Christina Mary TINNING nee SINTON led me to jump to the conclusion he was a SINTON relation, but the connection is actually via Christina's grandmother Isabella WIGHT, dtr of John WIGHT and Helen THOMSON.
The contact has prompted me to fill in a few gaps on the tree anyway, so the WIGHT chart has been updated.

Nov 20, 2007: FAMILTON descendants anywhere?

With some mtDNA test vouchers available until 31st Dec, I mused over how many female descendants of Bessie RUNCIMAN nee FAMILTON might still be around that they would be of use too. Which of course led me into updating a few more branches of the tree. Mainly JOHNSTONs, the family of David Stewart Erskin JOHNSTON and Elizabeth RANKIN, the latter being the dtr of Margaret WIGHT, grddtr of Margaret RUNCHAMAN.

The newly contacted descendants of William RUNCIMAN in Michigan floored me slightly. When I asked what they did, I certainly didn't expect "we used to farm emus (for a couple of years)". It wouldn't have been top of my list of guesses as to occupation for anyone.

Nov, 17 2007: Gone fishin' (for TURNBULLs)

Hunting around in some TURNBULLs I re-found the Joseph TURNBULL who married Isabella RANKIN (a WIGHT descendant) and realised there was more information available now. Found most of them in the assorted census records, and decided to check son William's death as I didn't have a place for it, only the date from the St Boswell's MIs. Found to my surprise that he was married, to a Theresa AINSLEY. He was a fishing rod maker by occupation; subsequently found them in census data in Northumberland, where he seems to have lived, even though he died in St Boswells).
The first DNA test has reached the lab, so in a few weeks there should be some information for the as yet empty FAIRBAIRN results page. Still hunting for willing participants on the trees I want to compare with, hint hint to anyone eligible or interested.

Nov 7, 2007: Unrelated FAIRBAIRNs & WIGHTs

A FAIRBAIRN day: the family of Walter FAIRBAIRN and Agnes RENTON, and the goings on of their dtr Elisabeth, mother of the Walter who married Janet RENTON. Way back Terry and I swapped info on this family and I was wondering if there was a connection to the Walter son of James FAIRBAIRN in Selkirk in 1841. I no longer think so as I've convinced myself that Walter is the illegitimate son of Elisabeth, with a sister Agnes. Elisabeth's 1865 death cert shows her as the dtr of Walter and Agnes (RENTON). Even dipped out on a WIGHT connection as the William WIGHT Elisabeth married in 1841 appears to come from Edinburgh, not the Borders, and when he died in 1874, the informant had no idea who his parents were.

Sep 3, 2007: Toothless in Romsey

It's official. I've a toothless relative. Wonderful what you can find in Army pension files. I moved on from the RUNCIMEN to the SINTONs and came across James SINTON, stud groom of Ayr, born Earlston, last employer Mrs E C MacFARLANE of Fenwick Lodge, Ayr. Thought that sounded a bit familiar, and sure enough, he's one of the WIGHT relations, s/o John Gillies SINTON and Isabella WIGHT. His pension application for losing all or most of his molars in the army appears to have been declined on the grounds there was no corroboration in the office vetting the applications. Found a birth date for his dtr Christina buried in the mire of officialdom there, and now have the priceless information that he spent 3 days in Romsey hospital while on army service, suffering from "headache 128".

Aug 29:2007 apples & eggs; Gretna marriage

Simeon WINES apparently stole some eggs, and had previously stolen apples. Ta Jenni for the fuller details of his record.
Still haven't seen proof of his parents however. Has anyone seen it to show which of the Simons of an age born Sth Petherton he is?

The details of the Gretna marriage of James THOMSON and Betty DALGISH didn't help with her identification, but did confirm the 1874 date, albeit 2 days later than they recorded on their children's birth certs.

The Margaret WIGHT mystery from a few days ago has deepened. Jan had also tackled this, but from a different angle. I haven't fully digested her version of events, but it looks like Margaret WIGHT married her shoemaker James WHITE and then took off. Neither of us can find her as WHITE 1851 thru 1881 but James is living in Jedburgh with his Mum and sister in 1851 and 1861, and alone in 1871 & 1881, his dth cert in 1887(?) apparently saying he was a widower (a lie).

Paul R has provided some details about PC Robert RICHARDSON of Blyth, which may get him onto my web pages in the near future, lack of sidetracks willing...

Aug 26, 2007: Who is James NOBLE? Yet more WINES

GenesReunited Hot matches are to blame for today's sidetrack. They've improved the system somewhat, so I paid more attention this time, and some twigs that have been untouched for years have had some attention. Not that the WINES need more twigs, they're already so prolific, but nonetheless, at least one family has been (mostly) brought forward to 1901, that of Jacob son of James & Rebecca (VAGG) WINES. Who needs more BROWNs in the family? At least the other dtr married into a rarer surname, FORTT (census data & birth index) or FORTH (Marr. index).

After posting the WC updates last night I checked my guestbook and found a renewed contact about the SINTONs who migrated south that I've not been able to conclusively link to mine. In checking where I'd got too on that lot, I was reminded of the link between Carole and my WIGHT/HALL correspondent Jan in Canada. The easier access to Scottish census data led me to reduce some of the duplication in my database and tidy up the family of James WIGHT and Cecilia LAING, who appear in my LornaPotential database (not yet republished).

BUT it left me with a larger mystery about the two Margaret WIGHTs born Bowden around the same time, c. 1811/1814 ish.

Two illegitimate sons exist either one to each of the Margaret WIGHTs, or both to one of them: a James NOBLE, born c 1845 Ancrum and a Thomas WIGHT born Bowden c. 1841. And I thought I had them straight, ie one Margaret WIGHT the dtr of Thomas WIGHT and Elizabeth FISHER, died 1882 Selkirk, informant son Thomas WIGHT, and the other, the dtr of James WIGHT & Cecilia LAING, died 1889 Hawick, informant brother-in-law George HALL (and turned out to be the widow of a shoemaker James WHITE).

James NOBLE is the fly in the ointment. I can only find one of them over the years, but he seems to be associated with both of the Margaret's! Last sighting of him is 1871 by which time he is a cabinet maker in Edinburgh St Cuthberts, with a visitor Margaret WIGHT born Bowden with him. However in 1861 he's shown, at least on Ancestry's index, as son of Margaret at Dunsdale Cottages, Selkirk, as is Thomas. I can't conclusively find the other Margaret in the 1861 census yet, unless she's the cook in Borthwick, MLN.

Aug 18, 2007: Hendersons galore & Hounam

Odd how one thing leads to another. I finally found out that Second Site (my web page generator) has (always had?) a feature that allows charts generated in TMG to be included on the web, with photos included and still be able to link back to their pages on the site, if any.
So I've included an ancestor chart from Dad that also shows the siblings of the ancestors, and thumbnail images if I've actually included them in my database. But first I had to catch up on a backlog of photo scanning and processing, including some from my trip last year. Check out the new Henderson's galore page.

The clutch of WIGHT/HALL/STEVENSON names shown under the Recent changes index for yesterday/today are because I included the HALL/STEVENSON/WIGHT headstone photo from Hounam. I also added some pics of the Hounam church in the place index.
Reviewing the MIs transcript of the stone (it was pretty illegible) I decided that I have to rethink whether or not Isabella and James WIGHT really do fit into the family of James WIGHT and Isabella HALL. For the moment, I've included James Hall WIGHT and left the latter two there as siblings, however unlikely this now seems, given this makes two James' in the family, born about the same time.

Anyway, big brother has now been updated.

Aug 11th, 2007

11th: Wight and Sinton charts updated and extended a generation downwards. This was prompted by contact from a person interested in Jane Wight SINTON, who married John MURRAY of Northumblerland, and from a posting in my guestbook by a 3rd cousin down the line of Peter Sinton WIGHT and Jessie Ellen DAVIDSON. Hope some updates to the tree result.
I've also been contacted by an Australian interested in the family of Jacob SPURR. Detals provided were scanty (no place data), but it looks very like Jacob, son of the Joseph who married Elizabeth HANNAFORD, with assorted LILLICRAP connections that may well prove to be inter-connections.
Not that I've finished fiddling with the web pages and tidying things up, but it's quite a relief to get back to the backlog of emails instead of staring at webpages and testing links to see what I forgot to change.

Aug 3rd, 2007

3rd: Brought Peter's Graingers of Worcester webpages up to the latest version of Second Site. No new data, just a new look, which I had great fun creating the images for.
All Rootsweb based sites are still best viewed using Firefox or similar browsers rather than Internet Explorer, banner code still not fixed.
Found a few more WIGHT descendants in assorted census records but had to hunt for them as they'd crossed back into Northumberland (Robert CAIRNS/Janet WIGHT).