I'm a new member researching my LIETCH ancestors. I've had good luck researching them in Northumberland and Cumberland counties but I'm getting further back now and think it's possible that the family came from the Borders, perhaps the area around Berwick upon Tweed. I'm hoping that someone on your list may be able to help me. My 4x gt grandfather was William LIETCH who was born ca 1774 and died August 26, 1852. The 1841 and 1851 census records give his place of birth only as Scotland. From his 1852 will I know he had a sister by the name of Isabella and two brothers by the names of John and Hugh. William LIETCH was a Licentiate of the Church of Scotland and a school master. He founded a school in North Shields Northumberland in 1812 called the Albion Road Academy. Although he resided in North Shields for most of his adult life, he died in 1852 at the Derwent Bank home of his son, Dr. David Ross LIETCH, in Keswick, Cumberland. He's buried in St Alban's churchyard in Earsdon, Northumberland. His wife's name was Jane and his children were: William K - born circa 1805 (maybe in Glanton), died 6 June, 1837 David Ross - born circa 1809, North Shields, died 16 Aug, 1881 Barbara Ann - born circa 1811, died 23 March, 1884 Jane (my 3xg grandmother) - born circa 1813, died 23 April 1847 Thomas Carr - born 24 May 1815, died 24 Sept 1876 Isabella - born circa 1817, died 6 Dec 1844 Eleanor - died age 3 mos Jul 1818 Robert - born circa 1821 Ellen - born circa 1825, died 13 Oct 1904 There are several reasons I think my William LIETCH may have come from the Berwick Upon Tweed area but have not been able to make a definite link yet. I found a likely marriage on IGI for a William LIETCH and a Jane ROSS in Berwick Upon Tweed, July 20, 1804. IGI also shows a Kenneth and Barbara LIECH in the Berwick Upon Tweed area with children William, Hugh, and John so they might be possible parents for my William. Kenneth LIECH and his wife both died in Greenses: Barbara in 1819, age 71, and Kenneth in 1822, age 78. I also found an 1803 poster for a LIETCH and DICKINSON opening a school in Berwick. Are any of these names familiar to Borders listers? I'd love some help in determining if I'm on the right track in tracing the family of my 4x gt grandfather,Rev William LIETCH. Kind regards, Eleanor Clouter, Canada

>From: Eleanor Clouter <eclouter@nl.rogers.com> >Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 21:49:09 -0230 > >I'm a new member researching my LIETCH ancestors. I've had good luck >researching them in Northumberland and Cumberland counties but I'm >getting further back now and think it's possible that the family came >from the Borders, perhaps the area around Berwick upon Tweed. I'm >hoping that someone on your list may be able to help me. > >My 4x gt grandfather was William LIETCH who was born ca 1774 and died >August 26, 1852. The 1841 and 1851 census records give his place of >birth only as Scotland. From his 1852 will I know he had a sister by >the name of Isabella and two brothers by the names of John and Hugh. If he was born in Scotland, he can't be from Berwick on Tweed, because it's in England. There are Leitchs in Berwickshire, and indeed in most of Scotland, but the real hotspot for them is Fife, where my own Leitch ancestors come from. There's probably a collection of unrelated families as the name, along with Leech, Leach, Litch, etc, derived from the old term for doctor. > > >Are any of these names familiar to Borders listers? I'd love some help >in determining if I'm on the right track in tracing the family of my >4x gt grandfather,Rev William LIETCH. > If he was in the Church of Scotland, he should be listed in Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae. He's not in volumes I & II (they're on line here http://www.dwalker.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Map.htm) so you really need to find a library that has all 7 or 8 volumes or can get them for you. I've never worked out how they decide which parish any given clergyman is listed under as most served in several places, but there is one volume specially for those Ministes known to be outwith Scotland. Lesley Robertson

Hi Eleanor, See the Norham M.I.s on my web page at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~agene/norhammi/index5.html this lists a number of Leitch burials in the Norham area, not far from Berwick, some may be of interest as the forenames are similar to yours. Regards, Mike Simpson Penrith, NSW, Australia http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~agene