A few days ago I discovered an 1877 book online by the title of "The Letters of the Late James Fawcus MD". James Fawcus (1833-1871) was the son of George Fawcus a shipbuilder from North Shields. He served as a doctor, primarily in India, and after his early death at the age of 38 in 1871, his sister Alice Lietch gathered up his letters to the family and had them published "for private circulation." Most of the letters are to his mother in North Shields and to his sister in Cumberland. There are a few early letters starting when he was eleven but most deal with his time in Asia, particularly his residency in India. When his eldest child, a son, was born he was sent to North Shields to be raised by James' mother and sisters. James contracted malaria in India and returned to North Shields in 1871 where he died at his mother's home. The letters are an interesting and descriptive read about life experienced by a North Shields doctor in India. It would be of particular interest to any descendants of this Fawcus family. The letters show the family to be kind, sweet tempered and highly intelligent. The book can be read online at: http://openlibrary.org/b/OL6639659M/letters_of_the_late_James_Fawcus_M.D. Incidentally, I'm not familiar with the genealogy of this Fawcus family. The book was published by James' sister, Alice Lietch (nee Fawcus) who was married to my 3x gt uncle, David Ross Lietch. Eleanor Clouter, Canada