I'm sorry to labour the point, but I do think its worth sharing the information we find to enlighten. I wondered if my man could have been a Master Mariner/Surgeon. http://www.virgin.net/internetaccess/24seven/ Listed in Baines 1824 Directory of Liverpool :- Rev Cleland KIRKPATRICK, Wesleyan Minister, 108 St James Street Kitty KIRKPATRICK, gentlewoman, 51 Seymour Street David KIRKPATRICK, surgeon, 130 Park Lane Thomas KIRKPATRICK, floorcloth manufacturer, 13 Queen Street His daughter's marriage after his death: Full marriage record listing - on 19 Feb 2006 at 19:41:49 GMT Field Name Field Value KEYCODEWKIRM01200540.10048 PADVERwkirM0540.1 PARISH_CODEWKIR TAGGED0 DATED18580615 GROOM_FNAMEALEXANDER GROOM_SNAMESHERRATT GROOM_STATUSBA GROOM_OCCUPATIONFARMER GROOM_RESIDWEST HYDE HEREFORDSHIRE GROOM_AGEFU GROOM_SIGNS BRIDE_FNAMEELIZABETH JOHNSON BRIDE_SNAMEKIRKPATRICK BRIDE_STATUSSP BRIDE_RESIDCALD BRIDE_AGEFU BRIDE_SIGNS W_FNAME_1ADAM W_SNAME_1JOHNSON W_FNAME_2CHARLES W_SNAME_2BIRRS W_FNAME_3ELIZABETH W_SNAME_3BARTON W_FNAME_4ISABELLA SELLERS W_SNAME_4KIRKPATRICK W_FNAME_5ELLEN W_SNAME_5REALEY W_FNAME_6THOS W_SNAME_6REALEY C_FNAMEJ C_SNAMESLADE G_F_FNAMEGEORGE G_F_OCCUPATIONFARMER B_F_FNAMEDAVID B_F_OCCUPATIONSURGEON ADDITIONAL_INFORMATION G OCKE PRITCHARD NEAR WEST HYDE Full burial record listing - on 19 Feb 2006 at 19:43:20 GMT Field Name Field Value KEYCODEWKIRB01500907.10061 PADVERwkirB0907.1 PARISH_CODEWKIR TAGGED0 DATED18370214 FORENAMEDAVID SURNAMEKIRKPATRICK SEXM RESIDENCEWKIR AGE5400 I dont accept the first record that throws itself at me, so could you perhaps suggest where else I might look. As I mentioned, I purchased his Marriage Licence for a fee. Regards Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "judy olsen" <copywriter@tesco.net> > Solvay is way too late for your man., whom I think you said died in > 1837? > > I am sure you have dotted all the is and crossed the Ts but I find > the change from Master Mariner to surgeon a bit worrying. If he had > been a ship's surgeon then records would probably say that. > > Job changes from professional/apprenticed to non professional, such > as shopkeeper or innkeeper are easier to accept. Job changes from > unskilled to skilled are just about tenable but crossing from one > profession to another seems the least likely. > > > Judy