....try, try again. I've made contact with a few more people in my quest to arrange celebrations for the bicentenary of William KNIBB's birth in 2003. The Rev Dr Gordon CATHERALL, author of 'William KNIBB, Freedom Fighter' has told me about lectures he has given in the past and has offered me a manuscript of his book. Unfortunately, he is too ill to undertake anything personally. Leicester University are sending me a copy of one of his other papers - 'The Kettering Connection'. Dr Gad HEUMAN at Warwick University has suggested a series of lectures but regrettably is not willing to give them himself. Nevertheless, I have obtained an extremely comprehensive list of source books he recommends to his students studying Caribbean History - available for anyone who would like a copy.. I've asked for official confirmation that the Committee of the Kettering Operatic Society have decided not to stage 'Knibb, the Musical' in 2003. Brian SMITH has interested a local school headteacher in the production and the Fuller Church in Kettering may be prepared to undertake a narrated version. It would be a real bonus if a production could take place during the Second International Gathering of K/NIBB/S Researchers. Are you planning to come to Kettering in September 2003? The annual 'Virginia' KNIBB Reunion is taking place in North Carolina in June this year and we'll see, fingers crossed, if a representative group can attend our gathering. One of their number, Clopton KNIBB, has been interviewed by a local Goochland Newspaper. A copy can be found at http://www.goochgaz.com/archives/dec2201/news.html#2 and for resilience qualifies as a family story worthy of anything we can share in our series of mailing list 'items'. Don KNIBBS was the last contributor to the series and there must be more K/NIBB/S stories awaiting the limelight. I mentioned 'he'll pay for the Onslow' but must correct one slur on the family. Although handed down from Michele's grandmother, it was in fact 'coined' by a friend of hers about someone else. At the head of Michele's family is James KNIBB a butcher who died in Hellidon, Northants in 1787. A resident from there, Jenifer FELL, who has helped me before has recently visited mine and Don's websites. She has written a book about the village which is as good as any local history book I've ever come across. It mentions 'our' James and also one who died there in 1693 which is news to me. I've asked for confirmation as this could open up a whole new line of enquiry for Michael PEARMAN and myself. Thanx to Robin for having answered the GRO look up query and all power to Joyce's elbow for rooting out more of her KNIBBS. Re Cathy's Rootsweb CD's enquiry, I noted in the article to which we were referred by Natascha that some of the data is drawn from the material that is available to those who subscribe to the on-line Ancestry.com's British collection. I asked once before if anyone had ventured into this and assume not, as there were no affirmative replies at that time. Can we assume still the case? The Oxfordshire mailing list has recently advertised the availability via the OFHS of the 1841 - 1891 censuses and I've asked for a quote for all K/NIBB/S, excluding 1851 and 1881 which I have already. I can also report for those who are keenly awaiting the 1901 census online that further delays are likely. The system is, as reported, running at various selected sites but even there interruptions are occurring as the developers try and iron out the problems. There will be 'downtimes' at those sites for a period up to 20th February, so we can't expect anything on-line before then and perhaps for several weeks thereafter. Ah well, plenty of time for me to do some more 'trying'. bfn Alan List Administrator and host at <A HREF="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~knibbetc/">THE K/NIBB/S ONE NAME STUDY website</A> Did you know? Earlier postings to the list are archived at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/KNIBB-L/ Please follow log-on instructions when you first visit!