Advice sought to break through my brick wall. I am trying to find the baptism and parents of Joseph KIRK, my g-g-grandfather. He married Mary TONKS in October 1811 in St. Peter's Wolverhampton, and all their children were also baptised there. The 1851 & 1861 censuses give his birthplace as Wolverhampton, as does his death certificate. He was a boatman, as was his son Richard (1818-1883). I have found invoices with Richard's name as Steerer for the Bridgwater Trustees Carrying Co. in 1850 (Ellesmere Port Boat Museum), and I guess that Joseph would also have worked on the Staffs & Worcs / Trent & Mersey canals. All the family lived in Wolverhampton throughout their lives (mostly Horseley Fields), though Joseph was not at home in Cannock Road for the 1841 census. My hunch is that Joseph's parents came to Wolverhampton with the canal as it was built. There are very few Kirks in Wolverhampton prior to 1800, and the nearest possible baptism of a Joseph KIRK is at Sandon in 1786 (Sandon is just north of the junction of the Staffs&Worcs / Trent& Mersey). I have yet to find anyone else researching anyone related to my families!! Joseph and Mary's children (+spouses) (in case anyone spots a rellie!!): Mary (1814-1837); Jeremiah (1816-1843); Richard (1818-1883) = Caroline Downes; Ann (1820-?) = John Beeton; Caroline (1823-?) = Thomas Taylor; Hannah (1825-?) = Charles Hames; Harriett (1828-?) = Joseph Clark; Matilda (1832-?). Those with more experience may be able to point me in a direction I haven't thought of yet! TIA, Alan Kirk, Bedford U.K. Am posting this to Canal People, Black Country and Staffs lists. _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com