For my first message to this list, may I ask if anyone has any knowledge of this family? My GGG Grandfather, William PARKER, married in 1800, so he must have been born in about 1760-80. He is described somewhere as "of Hardwick Court, Glos, and Clopton Hall, Suffolk" AND in the book on the Monumental Brasses of Cumberland I am told that the later place name, Clopton Hall, appears on page 53, where there are also a lot of Parkers. (Can anyone possibly scan for me or send me a photocopy of page 53 only?) In the 1863 edition of Walford's County Families, "my" William PARKER is described as belonging to a "younger branch of the Parkers of Park Nook, Cumberland". So the connection is surely there, but the details are shrouded in 18th century Cumberland mist. In Mannix & Whellan, "History, Gazeteer and Directory of Cumberland" (1847), it is stated that "within about half a mile S.E. of the village is Park Nook, the residence of Chas. Parker, Es. but the property of Alfred Parker Esq." Elsewhere in various gazeteers Parkersd are found at this address at different times in the 19th century. To add a little spice to the Parker-hunt, I've found that someone by the name of Tasman PARKER applied through "P.H.Bell Parknook,Lake River" to rent 500 acres of Crown Land in Tasmania (Applicants For Crown Land 1851-1852). So it looks as though one at least of the Parkers of Gosforth emigrated . . .? I have, of course, much info to share on William Parker's descendants through his three sons Windsor, William, and Joseph, though not as much as I'd like on the latest generations. Don Montague whose mother was a BELL ================================== CompuServe is closing down and cancelling my e-mail address on 24th June - I will be informing all correspondents of a new address a.s.a.p. ==================================