Peter Further on from last e-mail - In the 1803 Muster [which MAXEY, "superintendent", drew up at the time of threatened French invasion]...MAXEY describes himself as: Wm MAXEY, ''grasier'' [aged 51] ...."willing to serve his country to the most of his abilities" ... whereas he had written off other Knotting men as just "willing". [I know you like those little historical gems of human pride & foibles, Peter] The reason, I thought the SANFORD men worked for him is that he was the only bloke in Knotting who had both a waggon & a cart + 6 horses in 1803...so he was a 'big fish in a tiny pond' [and Knotting was hardly a puddle]! ....And yet....I think I was wrong, as on further examination... ...There was also Richard ISLIP in Knotting [aged 35] who had 3 waggons & a cart & 13 horses! And with 13 horses he must have been a really 'big fish' in village life - and Richard ISLIP also had 4 drivers available for Army use [unlike MAXEY who only had 2 drivers]? So, on balance, I think that John SANFORD [& his father] worked for Richard ISLIP - certainly if ISLIP had 13 horses - I would think he could afford to hire a 'servant' : John SANFORD? Please see: Volume 71 Bedfordshire Muster Lists by Nigel Lutt printed & published by BHRS cathy Ps: it is worth purchasing the book just for an insight into how people felt about each other...like net-curtain twitching on the past! !