In a message dated 03/07/2009 15:52:32 GMT Daylight Time, jjminfiek@ntlworld.com writes: Is anyone out there researching the Mcdonald and Dodds names in the Gatehead area? John Richardson John: Dpdds is a very common name in the north-east of England, so I would expect there to be many people researching it, in Gateshead (note the "s" in this name), as in other local large towns. McDonald is usually originally Scottish, of course, but again, it is not exactly rare in Gateshead. You are therefore more likely to get a meaningful answer to your question if you can mention something about the Dodds and McDonalds in question. What are their first names? occupations? religions? dates (years) of birth, death and/or marriage (even a rough date would be helpful), and do you have any more precise address for them at any time than just "Gateshead"? If your information is based on, say, a census entry or a parish register entry, then let us have the reference, as there could well be more to be got from the source than might be obvious to someone not familiar with Gateshead itself. Geoff Nicholson