This was always a possible reason when the item was first pointed out to me but this was not a poor family "Renia" wrote in message news:kmu62l$bfn$1@speranza.aioe.org... On 10/05/2013 04:59, Kate wrote: > > > There is an item in the Insolvents section London Gazette, May 1825 Page > 869, (pointed out by skp) naming a Sydney Ward Simpson, he was a > Bookseller, > Moor (Mour) Street, Soho. > I have no idea if this was my Sydney but if the information I have about > his > death May 21, 1826 Sierra Leone is correct it leaves a pretty narrow > timeline. Double Christian names were not very common during this period, so I would guess this is your particular Sydney Ward Simpson, especially as he was a bookseller like other members of his family. If he was publicly named as a bankrupt, then you probably have the reason why he left England, though by the time the notice was published, he may already have left the country to prevent being chased by his creditors. People were dropping like flies in Sierra Leone at this time. He was probably one of them. This was always a possible reason why he might have left the country when the item was first pointed out to me but this was not a poor family it seems quite possible his creditors would have been dealt with. He could have felt ashamed of course but it still leaves us in the dark. I think I will just put Sydney to bed and move on to something equally as hard, like one of my 5xgt grandparents, there are some you just have to let go. I thank you all for your input, always good to have your ideas and one learns a little more with each search. Regards, Kate (Sydney, Australia)