Dear Claudia, Pam, Stella et al, Twenty four hours on this list and I couldn't have imagined how much you would have all been prepared to help me. My husband works in IT and has been using the internet for ages, long before he met me, and has made virtual friends the world over. I have spent the last 12 hours, using phrases such as "Can you believe that people can be so kind?" and "Isn't it great that people thousands of miles from you are prepared to go that extra mile such to help a fellow researcher?" He just smiles as if to say I told you so. I have helped people on other lists with a single lookup and never heard a word since and you have provided more help than I could ever have dreamed of. You have all restored my faith in human nature. I have printed Claudia's mails and will study them today in between the housework and ironing! I don't think I mentioned it before but Captain George was my third great granduncle. He disappeared off the records and no one had any info about him but plenty about his brothers. I couldn't find a death record so decided to consider a life on the sea, as they lived by the coast. Also other RUDLINs were Mariners at the time. I want to find more about his departure from the UK, so I can go back and prove he is mine as I have heard that people have made a huge mistake by not checking and proving and I don't want the same to happen to me. Anyway, I must must get off the PC and get with the housework, more later. Kindest Regards to my new Canadian friends, Imogen Edmunds

Imogen, I was as you, new to the list and the help from the people here was fantasic, after 40 years of not knowing what happened to my grandfather I was able to tell my family so much, also the amount of info available from the Canadian Archives is very helpful, and the complimentary items that they are prepared to search and send via snail is brilliant - this past week I have recieved copies of my grandfathers immigration details including the fact that he had £2.00 in his pocket when he arrived! As my grandfather became a Canadian Citizen, and my Grandmother although she returned here, and although they were both born in England I am very proud to be associated with Canada, (BC in particular) I consider myself a little bit "Canadian" as my Grandparents were Citizens if not born there, my grandfather is burried there as are his 2 brothers and several uncles and aunts and descendants. I have even been inspired to become a list administrator myself! I just thought all the people on the BC list should know that their efforts are so very much appreciated and if I can do anything in return I surely will. (I am in what was Staffordshire England) thanks for listening Mellie IBSSG Diagonally parked in a parallel universe --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.286 / Virus Database: 152 - Release Date: 09/10/01