Hello Liz, Just a note to say hello! Our Bridges are all firmly in the county of Suffolk, the other two main areas for Bridges are Gloucestershire and around the Derbyshire area - and again in East Anglia in Suffolk/Norfolk. I have quite a lot of information on our family and one or two other lines back to about 1500 but I have not come across any connection in your area of research. Happy to help anytime - if I can ;-) Pat ... Every time I find an ancestor - I have to find two more! The Suffolk Surnames List at www.suffolksurnames.plus.com Is your Suffolk Surname Listed ??? > Hi everyone! > > I am looking for a Stephen BRIDGES and his wife Hannah (b.c1818 in Birmingham, late POWELL, formerly CAHILL). They had a daughter Sarah, born in Brierley Hill, Staffordshire, in 1859. Stephen was a labourer at an ironworks at the time. > > By the time of the 1881 census, Stephen had died and Hannah, Sarah and Hannah were living with Hannah's brother Samuel BOLTON (b.c1830 in Birmingham) in Bilbrook, Old Cleeve, Somerset. Samuel was a blind basket maker, Hannah a stocking knitter, and Sarah a general servant. > > I have no idea when the family moved to Somerset, or whether Stephen came with them and died there. I have scoured the Death Index without success, so no idea where or when he died. I did find an ironworks in Brierley Hill and they got the contract for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, so maybe that's the connection...just a guess. > > If anyone is researching this family, I would love to hear from you! > > Many thanks > Liz > www.lizweb.net - Researching Fisher in Wedmore, Denman in North Curry, Thomas in Minehead/Dunster (all are villages in Somerset) and Willsman in Devon)