Don The last time he was mentioned on list was by me following a posting from you concerning the coachbuilders 'KNIBBS & PARKYN' in Manchester. Serendiity strikes again because I've just this moment received a message from John WARD in Australia who writes as follows: ''My great uncle Robert Parkyn married Dorothy May Knibbs in Bushire, Persia (now Iran) some time around 1933. He later became chairman of the family firm of motor-car coach-builders called Knibbs and Parkyn somewhere near Manchester I think. I should very much like to fill in the Knibbs side of this family, and learn more about the business side.'' I reckon Dorothy was the one born 02qtr1899 Aston District but have no further info as I couldn't find her on the 1901 census. As you mention the firm seems to have commenced business in 1840 so the connections are intriguing. We need that machine to weed out the irrelevancies! I'm pursuing further and will report back if any progress made. bfn Alan I regret that this isn't 100% KNIBBS http://knibbs.family.users.btopenworld.com/Photos/Field2.jpg, but is connected. Exactly 102 years ago today, 26th July 1902, the FIELD Magazine in the UK published a full page article entitled "A New Weed Cutting Machine". It relates to the trials of a new machine on the 102 acres lake at Blenheim Palace where it was being used to cut back the weeds. This was necessary to allow boating, sailing and fishing on the lake, and was an expensive annual task. The new machine reduced the cost and the time taken to do it. There is a photograph of the Machine at work in the lake and the man standing at the rear and in charge of the machine is Alfred LONGWORTH who was the husband of Sarah Ann KNIBBS who was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire in September 1879, the daughter of William KNIBBS and Ellen Drinkwater. I am extremely grateful to Diane Hartland, the granddaughter of Alfred and Sarah Ann for sharing this with me. If anyone is interested in reading more of Alfred and Sarah, go to their family page at http://knibbs.family.users.btopenworld.com/fam419.html Don