I just joined the list. after a couple of years of ignoring my Durham ancestors. Today, someone mentioned the Papist returns of 1767, on the Lancashire list, and after I asked a couple of questions, that person was kind enough to look for my ancestors in the returns for Durham. I was looking for a Jacob Watson born about 1769 and Mary Strong born about 1764, who were married in 1797, and it's recorded at St. Thomas Aquinas, Stella, and in Ryton. I think that we've found Mary today, but not Jacob's family. Here's what I am pretty sure must be Mary in 1767: Ryton - Winlaton Town John STRONG; 29; bankman;29y Frances, dau.;6; - ; 6y Mary, do.; 3; - ; 3y Now my question-- I saw an earlier message on the list archives, saying that there were no parish registers from that time. My question is-- would the babies have just been baptized secretly somewhere? Wouldn't that have concerned the local vicar? And would John Strong here have to have also been married in an Anglican church? Ryton doesn't go back far enough in the IGI for me to check today. I'll have to get the microfilm. And, apparently he was a widower. Would his wife have been buried in the local Anglican church yard? Thanks, Paula