Dear Derek, How interesting to hear of your connection with St Bede's Terrace too! I stayed in a bed and breakfast there once in 1993, but I can't remember the number I stayed at now! As to the RITSONs, I have no less than 101 of them in my tree! None of them encroach on the twentieth century but I do have one Stanley RITSON, born 17th April 1888 who married a lady called Violet Alice CLARKE (no background on her). Stanley's father, Ernest George RITSON was born on 26 November 1865 in Sunderland and his mother was Isabella WRIGHT, born in about the same year. Stanley had 5 siblings, namely John George RITSON (born 19 Sep 1886), Minnie RITSON, (born 29 Sep 1890), Constance RITSON (born 1892), James Bede RITSON (born 1895) and Ernest George RITSON, born 1897). If "your Stanley RITSON can relate to these then he can help me get the tree up to date! SPEAKING OF FOOTBALL...... it is said that Malcolm ALLISON, former manager of Middlesbough FC etc claimed descent from the ALLISONS of Monkwearmouth. I wrote to him once to try to find out more about it but got no reply. Does anyone know if there is any substance in this, or do you think our Malcolm was just "hanging one on"?! I don't think I believe it personally and have certainly found no evidence to support any such claim. Clifford A. _______________________