Hello Suzanne I have cut your message up and inserted responses. Suzanne --- I was interested in your use of the term "Big House" Michael ---- I use it as a convenient short description of the homes of gentry, landlords, bishops etc. By the early 1800s after more than a century of peace and relative prosperity the population of Fermanagh rose to 150 thousand (today is is only about 54 thousand). It was largely a rural community with tenant farmers and others paying rent to land owners who lived in 'Big Houses'. I am copying Mary Roger's use of the term in her important history book Prospect of Fermanagh, Watergate Press, Enniskillen 1982 ISBN 0 903856 01 X. Suzanne ---- tradition that George Montgomery, b. 1815?, a gardener, married Elisabeth >Montgomery of the "Big House" in 1840/1 in Lisnaskea. Michael ---- in 1815 the Big House in Lisnaskea might have been any of several. The biggest was Lord Erne's Crom Castle and he owned Lisnaskea town. But there were other Big Hoses, for example Armagh Manor, near Ballagh Cross about 5 miles out where the Haire family lived, and still live to this day. Suzanne - - - -Have you any references to a Montgomery or Scott subscriber to the Boat races on Lough Erne? Michael --- not at present, but research continues. If found I expect that your Montgomery would be an employee of one of the subscribers, as they were the gentry who owned the yachts - and, in most cases, also a Big House. Suzanne -- - I am aware that Montgomery was an important name in Fermanagh but have not >made any connections to the branches of the Plantation Montgomerys. Michael -- yes Montgomery is a common Ulster name - the most famous Ulster Montgomery being General Montgomery who led the British in the Normandy landings in 1944 ( I believe there were a few folk from the USA there as well) Michael --- there is an awkward rocky reef on Lower Lough Erne to be avoided by yachts racing called Montgomery Rocks. If you ever get this far I will take you out in my J/24 racing keelboat to sail round them - not hit them! They are probably named after a Montgomery who did hit them. Not far away are Sandys Rocks named after A Saunderson who hit them in a yacht about 1820 and further to the west Bingham's Rock, where he and six companions drowned about 1710. Best Wishes Michael Historian LEYC