Monday, December 2, 2002, 6:03:26 AM, you wrote: DG> Can anyone suggest where or what the First Fryits Office in London was? I DG> came across it in a Newcastle Courant item of 1792. It read "Last week DG> after a long and tedious illness, Mrs Bacon, wife of Mr William Bacon, at DG> Louth near Carlisle; brother to John Bacon Esq of the First Fryits Office, DG> London" Dorothy, My feeling is this should be the First Fruits Office. This site gives this info: http://www.familychronicle.com/wanted.htm According to The Family Historian's Enquire Within, by Pauline Saul and F.C. Markwell, First Fruits "were the profits of an ecclesiastical benefice for the first year after a vacancy." The authors report that records are held in classes E.331 to 344 PRO Chancery Lane, and span the period from the mid 16th century to the early 19th century. The concept of First Fruits finds its origin in Proverbs 3:9, which states: "Honor the Lord with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty." http://www.stevebulman.f9.co.uk/cumbria/worthies.html gives this on John Bacon: Bacon, John, Esq. of the First Fruits Office, London; well known for his hospitality and benevolence. To his patronage and encouragement the History of Cumberland is not a little indebted. He is a native of Kirklinton. (J) Google on First Fruits Office and you should get about 14 hits. -- Cheers, Anne mailto:docwras@yahoo.co.uk The Docwra Family Research Project http://resource.at/docwra