Hi Stan & Alan, many thanks for your in-put re; ARMSTRONGS. I don`t think it likely that he would have worked out of his home area, Monkwearmouth, re; Tynside; if anyone knows differently I would be interested to hear about it. Possibly there was a down turn in shipbuilding after the war and he was obliged to seek work in another industry. cheers from Ruth in Adelaide.

In a message dated 24/09/2003 07:20:52 GMT Daylight Time, ruthjo@adam.com.au writes: > However she died in Fairfield Mental Hospital in Bedfordshire(1966). > Hi Ruth, I don't know if you have received any replies off list, but Sunderland had/has a large mental hospital at Cherry Knowle, Ryhope, are you sure she did not move to Bedfordshire? I am sure that any required treatment would have been available at Cherry Knowle, or one of the other NE hospitals. Her death certificate may give a clue as to what she was suffering from. Regards Stan Mapstone

Hi Andrew I got my copy of the street map from the local studies in Sunderland Have not seen a photo of St Cuthberts church Do not think it was a class thing as one of my families had half of their children christened in St Cuthberts and the others in St Peters Isuppose it might have been the availability of the churches on the day Regards George

G`day Listers, I recently read through some of the Mere Knowles Cemetery Registers and was struck by the burials of infants with the note " No service" written beside the entry. Most were only a few days old, but one relative was 5months old. Was it likely that parents attended the interment, or were these unfortunates just buried by the gravediggers? Seems a bit callous, but I know times were tough and so may babies were buried. I expect expense had a lot to do wirh it. cheers from Ruth in Adelaide.

G`day Listers, I recently came across the burial in Mere Knowles Cemetery of a relative who was born in Monkwearmouth. However she died in Fairfield Mental Hospital in Bedfordshire(1966). Apart from the possibility that she may have moved to that area, (I think it unlikely) can anyone shed light on why she was hospitalised so far from Sunderland? i.e:- was there a lack of facilities in the Sunderland area at the time, or maybe Fairfield specialised in certain treatments or patients? Any suggestions gratefully appreciated. cheers from Ruth in Adelaide.

Hi - Although I would have to fully reasearch this I don't recall a shipbuilding company on Wearside called Armstrong's being active around 1918. There was a timber company called Armstong Addison that may have been active at that time, possibly under the name of Armstrongs. Alan Vickers.

In a message dated 23/09/2003 07:10:59 GMT Daylight Time, ruthjo@adam.com.au writes: > As he was a shipwright I said 'What was his occupation?' must put my reading glasses on! Regards Stan Mapstone

I have just realised that you say Armstrongs were in Sunderland, so my last message is not relevant unless he was in shipbuilding. As Alan said there was Armstrong, Addison & Co. Timber Merchants, offices at 17 North Bridge Street, timber yards at the North Docks, and Northumberland Dock, North Shields. They were established in 1853, and I can remember the timber yards in my youth so if it was the same firm they were there in 1918, and being such a large well established firm could have been known to Wearsiders as Armstrongs. What was his occupation? Regards Stan Mapstone

In a message dated 23/09/2003 07:10:59 GMT Daylight Time, ruthjo@adam.com.au writes: > can I assume this was a shipbuilding company? > Hi Ruth, Briefly, Armstrong's, [properly Sir W.G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd.] were the greatest warship builders in the North East, their yards were on the Tyne, at Elswick and later at Walker which allowed the construction of larger ships. The first Lord Armstrong's house, Cragside was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. Regards Stan Mapstone

Hi Kind Listers, in a medical record (1918) my grandfather`s place of work in Sunderland is given as ARMSTRONG`S. As he was a shipwright, can I assume this was a shipbuilding company? cheers from Ruth in Adelaide.

> Re :- Coal mines, period 1901 / 1911, Area NE Durham ie South Shields, > Westoe, Bolden Colliery, Jarrow etc Stan's reply is probably the best site for individual pits but a good general site is the the Durham Miners Project at http://www.durham-miner.org.uk/miner/usp.nsf/pws/Durham+Miner+Project+-+Durham+Miner+Home+Page Derek Cuthbert South Shields

Thank you Stan I didn't know the shop. I will work further on this line in time. Tony >>>>>>> > stationer living at > Longwood, Roker. >>>> in Kelly's 1902 Directory, his home address was 'Longwood' Roker Park Road, Roker, Sunderland, and his business address was 25 Fawcett Street. Regards Stan Mapstone <<<<<<<<<<<<<< Tony Surtees tsurt@btinternet.com 

HI STan, Many thanks for the info on above , What a " mine " of information Regards Bill Form

In a message dated 17/09/2003 09:32:59 GMT Daylight Time, Williamform@aol.com writes: > Can anyone tel me of either websites / available records Durham Mining Museum <A HREF="http://www.dmm.org.uk/mindex.htm">http://www.dmm.org.uk/mindex.htm</A> Regards Stan Mapstone www.mapstone.org

Hi listers After my last sucess for info Iam trying again for Iam sure that that the more experienced and knowledgible out there will be able to put me on the right path in relation to the following queries:- Re :- Coal mines, period 1901 / 1911, Area NE Durham ie South Shields, Westoe, Bolden Colliery, Jarrow etc Can anyone tel me of either websites / available records that would tell me the names on the coal mines in the above areas, a list of possible disasters / accidents that may have occured in these mines during the period in question and more important the names of the unfortuneate miners who lost their lives. Bill Form, Perth, Western Australia

-----Original Message----- From: Susan Anderson Just a note to say that I'll be leaving the list for a while now to concentrate on our new baby (Charlotte - born yesterday) & say a big thank you to all of you who have offered me your time and advice on my other endeavour - tracing Charlotte's ancestors. Congratulations Susan on the birth of your beautiful daughter Charlotte. Enjoy every minute of her, they grow up so quick. From a proud Nanna of 3 granddaughters Sue Sunderland

Just a note to say that I'll be leaving the list for a while now to concentrate on our new baby (Charlotte - born yesterday) & say a big thank you to all of you who have offered me your time and advice on my other endeavour - tracing Charlotte's ancestors. My interest only started at the beginning of the pregnancy & over these past 9 months I have found several 'cousins' & learned a huge amount about the art of genealogy. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit that people have shown in helping me in my research so far and as a result I have managed a great deal in that time. I know that I won't be able to leave things alone for long - I've definitely been properly bitten by the genealogy bug, so no doubt I'll be featuring on the list again soon enough with my amateurish questions & hope that one day I'll be in a position to offer my own time and advice in the way that I have received it from so many of you. With very many thanks Susan Anderson Northamptonshire UK

For those who are interested in researching men and women who died during WW1 and WW2, you can now search for all those buried in a particular cemetery this means that it is possible to get a list of the names of all those buried in local cemeteries. The four Sunderland Cemeteries are listed. http://www.cwgc.org/ Regards Stan Mapstone www.mapstone.org

I wonder if anyone who has access to church records in Sunderland or Monkwearmouth can help me find the baptism of my great great grandmother Jane GASCOIN or GASKIN. She gives her birthplace as Sunderland or Monkwearmouth and her age 36 in 1851 in Whickham 46 in 1861 - now married to William MAINS - in Winlaton 60 in 1881 a widow, in Winlaton - so I suspect she was born in about 1814 or 1815 Her mother was Barbara GASCOIN, a single woman, according to the 1851 census entry. the surname has many varied spellings through the years, including GASKIN, GASCOIN, GASCOINE, GASCOIGNE Thanks for any help on this Heather

Hi Sue & list, Sometimes my emails don't go thru, so, I am wondering if you received the following. Regards, Malcolm Campbell Subject: Re: [SUNDERLAND] CROSSLEY/DYKES/CRAWFORD Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2003 07:50:00 -0400 From: Malcolm Campbell <malcolmc@execulink.com> To: Susan LEISHMAN <se@kentmere.fsnet.co.uk> CC: ENG-DUR-SUNDERLAND-L@rootsweb.com References:1 Hi Sue & list, I was interested in the name of CROSSLEY. One of my relatives is a John CROSLEY (I thought there is only one "S" but maybe there should be two) John was married to a Thelma nee BELL and they had a son named Ian. Her parents were Alf BELL & Ethel nee HOME (DOB late 1800's or early 1900's) Thelma had a sister named Vera. When I lived in Sunderland (1940's), they (the BELL's) lived on Pallion Rd. Sunderland. Is this any help to you, or do you or anyone have anything that can assist me. Thanks. Regards, Malcolm Campbell (London,Ontario,Canada) > his father was James CROSSLEY who married a Margaret CRAWFORD. > They had a number of children between 1835-1853 one of which was John born in 1851