Hi All I want to try an experiment. People tend to marry into familes of the same profession or trade. I'd like to see whether a collection of [blacksmiths, grocers, doctors, etc.] will help you to make links. We'll try this with BLACKSMITHS and, if it works, do some others later. So ... please have a look through your files and post any examples, at any period, that you have of blacksmiths in Cumberland. Unless you are posting something like a trade directory, please use the format: Subject line: Blacksmiths - SURNAME Message body: (1) details of the blacksmith or the family (2) any families that they married into: SURNAME 1, SURNAME 2, etc.. (3) comments, stories, queries, brickwalls, whatever. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net ENG-CUL-CARLISLE-admin@rootsweb.com ENG-CUL-COPELAND-admin@rootsweb.com

ATKINSON of Bankend and Lanefoot in Lamplugh and of Arlecdon. Blacksmiths, late eighteenth century. married: Mirehouse, Youert, Pearson, Dickinson, Hodgson comments: quite a number of Atkinson researchers who know far more about this than I; and can provide details. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net