Iain, Quite a while back the Laird list had a discussion regarding a letter supposedly written in 1888, here in America. The contents of the letter was centered on the English coat of Arms. A copy of the letter was sent to me by another Laird researcher many years ago. I do not know her source, nor can I vouch for the letters authenticity. I did post the letter to the Laird mailing list, and it would be available in the archives. Or possibly someone on this list could access the archives, make a copy, and post it to the list. I hate to open another can of worms, but this is another mystery that needs to be solved so that future Laird researchers will know whether or not the letter is authentic or a fake. I think that the date for the granting of the Coat of Arms in England would answer our question. Anyway, if nothing else, the letter is a good "READ." Isn't genealogy fun? Sincerely, Patricia Laird Howard