Hi Susie, I don't know if my mail is too long or if it is the right place to send but thought I should check with you first. I am sure I wrote to you some years back and I did send an article for the Irish Book about John Parkes Hope's wife Elizabeth Savage. Thank you Margaret Hello Everyone, I haven't sent a message before, even though I have been resesrching over twenty years. My Grt Grt Grandfather was John Parkes Hope who arrived in the district around 1854.All their 11 children were born in Geelong and Mt Duneed .He died in 1878 and was buried in Mt Duneed cemetery and there are no family left in the district. John Parkes was not a fully ordained minister and I don't know if they were called Laymen but he used to preach at Mt Duneed and Geelong for the Wesleyan faith. On all certificates, his professions have been stated to be Surveyor, Architect, Builder, Carpenter, Stonemason,Glazier and Plumber . We have been told and it has been passed down through the generations that he was the builder of the church at Mt Duneed and with all those trades, I am sure it was possible. Is there any way to verify this ? any Council Records or Parish Plans ? and maybe a photo of the church somewhere. I had one sent to me by a dear lady from Waurn Ponds but she didn,t know who the man was beside the church. Thank You Margaret Johnson