...... last weekend in the Lake District - well our leader took a wrong turn but soon sorted out. Since then. Brian NIBBS has told me of a problem encountered when attempting to send a message to the mailing list. As it could apply to others, I'll repeat it here. His email is set up in html format ie not plain ascii text. Rootsweb rejects html as it can do strange things in some browsers. So if you've sent off a message which hasn't appeared, perhaps the same applies to you. Most browsers can be easily configured to send in either format. One item Brian wanted to mention, [stealing his thunder], does anyone know of the Maria Knibbs who appears in the credits of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'. And I would add, why only one n in the spelling of Millionnaire? Someone I want to trace is Ron HANDS. He sent me this week by snail-mail a family grouping of KNIBBS appearing in the 1901 census at Aston - lucky blighter for seeing it already! I can't lay my hands on earlier correspondence with Ron many moons ago, so does anyone else know where he lives? I think the Birmingham area and he probably viewed the census at the Birmingham library. I do know that he is also in touch with Dennis' cousin Ray in Derby [similarly not on email], so if all else fails I can write to him. And would you believe it, Don has just today been contacted by a descendant of one of those appearing on the census. Stranger than fiction, eh? Another contact, who prefers to remain anonymous at present, has told me all about his direct line of KNIBBS ancestors to five generations. I can take him further back and have traced siblings along the way but need his consent before introducing to others. As yet I know very little about his immediate family. I have at least been able to tell one related researcher I know of his existence, so nobody else is missing out. Then I was asked by the sister of a NIBBS if I was in contact with her brother who she's not seen for 9 years. I thought I recognised the name but I was wrong but happily dealt with it all tactfully so no one put out. Just shows though how careful one must be re such things, as evidenced by yet another contact. This from a person whose biological father was a KNIBB but who knew very little about him and his family. He wasn't really sure that he should be enquiring. However, on the snippet he gave me, I honed in on his father straightaway and in the end my correspondent was keen to have the information though given in strict confidence without disclosing the identities of any living persons. I'm awaiting further contact before I can follow up on this. All without the aid of IGI batch numbers but I'm glad that website has been of interest and help to at least 4 listers who have contacted me direct. At home this weekend, if anyone wants a chat or me to look up something for them - between doses of Winter Olympics that is. bfn Alan