Greetings all, I have just joining the Durham list to pursue a branch of my FEARNLEY ancestors who moved to Darlington around 1840, and the families that they married into. I'm seeking anyone out there who have a connection. Here are my interests: FEARNLEY in Darlington from around 1840. Randolph Fearnley moved from Bradford to Darlington around 1840 to work as a manager at the Priestgate woollen mill of Henry Pease & Co. While Randolph eventually returned to Bradford in the 1860s, his eldest son Edward (b. 1823) remained in Darlington. Edward married Ann BOWMAN (b. c. 1823 in Bishop Auckland, d. 1863 in Darlington), the daughter of Thomas Bowman, an auctioneer. His second wife was Emily WOODWARD from Lutterworth, Leics, the headmistress of The Mount Girls' School in Darlington. Edward's only son Thomas Bowman Fearnley (b. 1847) married Susan FLETCHER in Sunderland (b. c. 1852, d. 1878) in 1872. There was but one daughter that I know of, Emma (b. 1872), whom I last traced as a nurse in Sheraton with Hulam (near Hartlepool) in 1901. I have no idea what happened to Thomas, who seems to have disappeared by the 1881 census. Edward's eldest daughter, Mary Bentley Fearnley (b. 1851) married William SEDGWICK (b. 1844 in Melsonby, Yorks) in Darlington in 1873. Their children were Edward Fearnley Sedgwick, Lilian Mary, Annie Bentley Sedgwick and William, all born in Darlington. I would be very interested in tracing any descendents. Another of Edward's daughters, Elizabeth (b. 1857), married William THOMPSON (b. c. 1855 in Gunnerside, Yorks) in Darlington in 1882. William was a steamship owner's manager, and they lived in West Hartlepool. They had two sons by 1891, Fearnley and William W. Again, I am interested in tracing descendents. Randolph's daughter Elizabeth Ann Fearnley (b. 1827) married William HOLMES (b. c. 1826 in Lanchester, Co. Durham) in Darlington in 1851. William was one of nine children of George Holmes and Jane WHITELEY. Children that I know of were Mary Jane, George Randolph and Caroline. Alas, I know nothing of what became of this family, except that Elizabeth had died before 1866. Regards, Rob Rob Welbourn 24 Wilde Road, Waban MA 02468-1325, USA Tel +1-617-558 0182 -- Mobile +1-617-510 5354 http://www.welbourn.com