Thankyou Graham (and agree) with the reasons for placing surnames in the subject line, rather than the annoying school mistress approach. The search archives are a valuable source. I have Weaver and Tomlins (plural) in my lot, but haven't found any living ones from this line, nor know little past. My Martha Tomlins married Frederick William Bathurst Poole Dec qtr 1840 at Madeley. The Ironbridge 'Museum of the Gorge' on the edge of the Severn was 'Tomlins Garage' about 100yrs ago. ---- Also, my gggggparents Elizabeth Weaver and William Hinton are on IGI, as marrying 8 Feb 1808 at Kidderminster, WOR (probably St.Marys CoE church). -------The following is a paragraph from page 91 of the Worcestershire 'Hunt End Book' - "Stourport-on-Severn" by Anne Bradford. I hope Anne wont mind. ------"MILL ROAD. Mill Road, leads of course, to the old site of Mitton Mill. The residents of Mill Road may not know that the one-time Mayor of Philadelphia, city and port of USA, came from their midst (ie. Stourport, Worcestershire). John Weaver was the fourth son of Benjamin Weaver who lived in Mill Road. His first employment was as an office boy at Wilden Iron Works, then he became a clerk in the office of the Severn & Canal Carrying Company. He came to Philadelphia, tried several jobs but wasn't satisfied until he went to work in a lawyer's office. He taught himself shorthand and typing so that he could improve his position, then he decided he wanted to be a fully-fledged lawyer and he studied in evening classes for five years until he was qualified. Although John Weaver was quiet and unassuming he was a man of steel. In a city which was notorious for its bribery, corruption, betting and gambling, John Weaver stood out as an honest, straightforward Christian and he was eventually elected as mayor. One year, he went on holiday in the Rockies and the council took the opportunity of his absence to authorise the sale of the town's gas works which would bring in a large revenue but increase the cost of gas to the townsfolk. Weavers' friends sent him a telegram to let him know what was going on, he rushed back and caught his colleagues unawares. Another time he managed to quell a riot of about a thousand black workers single-handedly. The townsfolk hailed him as a hero." Richard Poole, NZ.