Hi all I have business in the north east over the coming months and I hope to be able to carry out some local research, and I would be grateful for some guidance of where to start! My questions: 1. How easy is Sunderland to travel about in by public transport, as I have links from Roker to Deptford to St Luke's Road, Pallion, to Toward Road which seems to be quite a spread? 2. Where would I be able to view original BMD entries, and is this place open at the weekend? 3. Where are pre-1837 church records kept, and when and where can they be viewed? 3. I need to visit the Maritime Museum, as my grandfather deposited some family papers with them which I haven't seen since I was about 8. Is it an easy place to research in? 4. Any other suggestions gratefully appreciated. Even though I've had some wonderful help from the list in the last few years, I still have a few areas where I'd like to find out a little more about the families I am researching, which are principally PAXTON's and LAING's. The PAXTONS started in High Ford in the 1750's, then Bishopwearmouth, went to Tynemouth (I don't know why) in the 1820's, then Newcastle briefly, then moved to M'w'mouth in the 1830's where they remained for many years before moving to Glasgow in 1912. My father then went on holidays in the 1940's to Roker. The LAINGS are reputed in family lore to be related to the shipbuilding LAINGS, but I have not yet found the link. (My suspicion is that Philip Laing's brother who left the business is our missing link) They lived in B'w'mouth at various addresses around Deptford Terrace, but marry in M'w'mouth. My records start in 1811'ish and a daughter eventually marries a PAXTON. I have a Gt Grandaunt LAING who my father was very fond of, who married a chap Charles Thomas HOWARD in 1906, and I have numerous photos of them and their daughter, but have been unable to track them down. Grateful for any help and guidance. TIA edward Surrey, England Using Norton Anti-Virus 2005 Researching: Paxton/Laing/Howard/Moat/Patterson in Sunderland and Newcastle Miller/McCurdie in Kilmory, Arran Wyllie in Kilmarnock and Tarbolton, Ayrshire and then in Tradeston, Glasgow McPhail in Campbeltown, Argyll and then in Anderston, Glasgow McPhail in Oban, Argyll and then in Anderson, Glasgow Currie in Milton, Glasgow Mundell/Raffel/Glendinning/Dinwoodie/Leithhead in Moffat and Kirkmichael, Dumfriesshire, and then in Glasgow Kerr/McLeod in Assynt, Sutherland