In a message dated 02/12/2009 11:58:55 GMT Standard Time, robin@scottishwool.com writes: around 1880 to 1890 Does anyone know of a book or series of articles about life on Northumberland farms at that time? Robin: You will be aware of the "old photos" type of book, of which there seems to be one to cover just about anywhere and anything these days. There are at least two for rural life in Northumberland in general, some of the photos in which, though by no means all, will be from the late 19th century. One was produced by the late Robin Gard when he was county archivist and is based on a series of photos of ordinary working life around Mitford, mainly in Edwardian days, discovered as glass slides by an uncle of mine when he became Vicar of Mitford. They had been taken by an earlier Vicar and were mouldering away in an outhouse before my uncle deposited them in the Record Office. A later one, called, I think, Rural Life in Northumberland in Victorian Days" or somethign similar. may still be in priint, though I'm not sure who the author or printer was. There have been two, I think, books of a more conventional type, about life in the extreme north of Northumberland, around, say, Ford. Someone else might know the titles. I am not sure, however, precisely which period they cover. Otherwise pick a rural village and look for a village history. You'll probably find one available. Geoff Nicholson